# Wait - - who is Anonymous and why are they fucking with epileptics? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 29, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208 "2008-03-29T22:32:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/21 "2008-03-30T17:32:46Z")
Uh, yeah. The non-basement-dwelling world first became aware of Anonymous’ existence when they DDOSed the CoS’s website. So why is the notion that certain members of the “group” would pull a stupid, juvenile, and potentially harmful prank against somebody _else_ so unbelievable, again? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/22 "2008-03-31T04:22:56Z")
Perhaps you’re unaware of the fact that the “Church” of Scientology has effectively been [at war with the Internet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_and_the_Internet) for more than a decade, ever since [the posting of the Fishman Affidavit](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishman_Affidavit). They have even managed to intimidate Google into removing material from search results. This is not a new war, these are merely new combatants. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/23 "2008-03-31T04:33:09Z")
I have to say, my first thought was that this sounds like the CoS- they’ve got a long-term grudge against modern psychiatric treatment, a new grudge against Anonymous, and it would be in character for them to do something like this, what with the “Fair Game” doctrine and all. But since there’s zero evidence of any actual CoS connection, I’d suggest that we tone that down a little. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/24 "2008-03-31T10:42:30Z")
Right. As I said, the only reason that this is not a case of Anonymous acting like Anonymous is that there is a nonzero chance it _could_ be Scientologists, as it fits their MO. But it’s more probably just Anonymous. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/25 "2008-03-31T11:12:44Z")
[QUOTE=asterion] Definitely a part of the Internet where the warning at the end of 2010 should be adapted to fit. [/QUOTE] “All these planets are yours, except Europa”? I haven’t read the book recently - that’s all I remember. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/26 "2008-03-31T13:50:06Z")
[QUOTE=appleciders] I have to say, my first thought was that this sounds like the CoS- they’ve got a long-term grudge against modern psychiatric treatment, a new grudge against Anonymous, and it would be in character for them to do something like this, what with the “Fair Game” doctrine and all. But since there’s zero evidence of any actual CoS connection, I’d suggest that we tone that down a little. [/QUOTE] There appears to be little to no evidence that it was anyone connected to Anonymous, also. The story mentions “references to Ebaumsworld” as “circumstantial evidence”. Anyone who refers to that as “evidence”, circumstantial or not, really ought to go back to journalism school. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/27 "2008-03-31T13:52:27Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] “All these planets are yours, except Europa”? I haven’t read the book recently - that’s all I remember. [/QUOTE] The second sentence. “Attempt no landings there.” (And it’s actually “All these worlds are yours, except Europa.”) There’s a whole internet out there, so why bother with the idiots? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/28 "2008-03-31T14:18:34Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] “All these planets are yours, except Europa”? [/QUOTE] Homer: Yeah…! Think about it! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/29 "2008-03-31T14:52:48Z")
[QUOTE=gaffa] Why would anyone doubt that it is the work of the CoS? [/QUOTE] Aside from the total lack of evidence or any other reason to believe it’s CoS, you mean? As much as I dislike Scientology, I have no trouble believing that the kind of people who would hack into the CoS site would also do this. Anonymous sounds like an enormous group of people, with some trying to fight for a cause, and others just malicious dicks. You can believe that the people involved in the CoS fight have a noble cause, but I think it’s pretty similar to the malicious dicks. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/30 "2008-03-31T14:59:19Z")
Remember: the enemy of my enemy can also be an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208/31 "2008-03-31T18:01:36Z")
The whole episode reminds me of the theme of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. I thought what I’d do was, I’d pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-who-is-anonymous-and-why-are-they-fucking-with-epileptics/443208.md?page=1)