ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON HACKTIVISM:

THE ROLES AND ACTIONS OF HACKER ACTIVIST GROUPS

A research paper presented to the

Faculty of Social Sciences Department - College of Liberal Arts and Communications
De La Salle University – Dasmariñas

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in Ethics

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

Montenegro, Kyla R.
PSC22

Professor: Mr. Jumel G. Estrañero (Sir. Stranger)

 I. INTRODUCTION
The crossing of technology and activism in the digital age has developed a new type of
social and political involvement known as hacktivism. It is the combination of hacker culture and
traditional activism that uses technological expertise to promote social change and challenge
governments. To understand the role of hacktivism in the existing political and social environment,
one must know its origin, purpose, and impacts.
The word “hacktivism” is a combination of two ideas, namely, activism and hacking.
Activism is when we observe practices that cause harm, we feel obliged to speak up. Whether
we’re concerned about the burning of fossil fuels, animal abuse through factory farming, or the ill-
treatment of refugees, by demanding change we have the power to create a different, better world.
Simply put, activism refers to action taken challenging those in power to bring about change in
society and benefit the greater good (Brooks, 2023). The word “hack” or hacking is the use of
unconventional or illicit means to gain unauthorized access to a digital device, computer system,
or computer network. The classic example of a hacker is a cybercriminal who exploits security
vulnerabilities or overcomes security measures to break into a computer or computer network to
steal data. But hacking does not always have malicious intent. A consumer who jiggers their
personal smartphone to run custom programs is also, technically speaking, a hacker (IBM, n.d.).
Therefore, the fusion of the two terms creates a new concept where hacking skills are utilized as a
form of political and social activism.
Hacker vs Hacktivist
An American cyber security software and services company named Imperva, explains the
different entities with distinct motivations and methods of hackers and hacktivists. To start, a
hacker is an individual skilled in manipulating computer systems. This can be a white hat hacker,
a black hat hacker, or a grey hat hacker. White hat hackers are known to be ethical hackers and
work on securing systems. The black hat hackers are often involved in illegal activities and exploit
vulnerabilities for personal gain. In the middle, gray hat hackers perform unauthorized activities,
with no harmful intent. Moreover, the hacktivist is a subset of hackers and mostly motivated by
social or political causes as opposed to self-interest. Despite the good intentions, the techniques
used might violate the law and entail illegal access.
Origin of Hacktivism
The roots of hacktivism can be traced back to the 1980s when the concept of “phreaking”
emerged. Phreaking was an early form of hacking that involved manipulating telephone networks
to make free calls. However, the term “hacktivism” itself was coined in 1996 by Omega, a member
of the hacking group Cult of the Dead Cow (Hacktivism | Imperva, n.d.).
Types of Hacktivism
According to Imperva, there are various forms of hacktivism, each with distinct methods and
objectives. Let’s explore some of them:
 Website defacement: This form of hacktivism involves altering the appearance of a website
to make a political statement or protest. It’s like digital graffiti, displaying content that
reflects the hacktivist’s cause or message.
  Denial-of-Service attacks (DoS): In a DoS attack, a website’s server is overwhelmed with
traffic, rendering it inaccessible to users. This method disrupts operations and draws
attention to the cause.
 Data breaches: Hacktivists infiltrate systems to access and expose confidential information.
Their objective is often to reveal hidden secrets or data, functioning as digital
whistleblowing.
 Redirection: Hacktivists manipulate website traffic to redirect users to websites
highlighting the issues they advocate for. This approach helps them to reach a larger
audience and spreads their message more effectively.
 Anonymous blogging: Hacktivists may engage in anonymous blogging, providing a
platform to share their views and raise awareness about social or political issues.
 Doxing: Hacktivists sometimes engage in doxing, which involves publicly exposing
private information about individuals or organizations to harm their reputation or advance
their cause.
 Geobombing: Geobombing is a form of hacktivism where geographical locations are
targeted to create a visual impact. This can be done by manipulating mapping services or
changing the names of places to reflect a specific message.
 Website mirroring: Hacktivists may mirror websites to create copies that preserve the
content and make it accessible even if the original website is taken down or blocked.
While these methods can raise awareness for social or political issues, they often blur the line
between activism and cybercrime, leading to ongoing debates about their ethical and legal
implications (What Is Hacktivism | Types, Ethics, History & Examples | Imperva, n.d.).
II. Notable Hacker Activist Groups and Their Actions
Anonymous
“We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.”

Anonymous hackers are an organized group of political activists who often engage in
hacktivism. Anonymous hackers first came together on 4chan, a private internet chat room.
“Anons,“ as Anonymous hackers are known, frequently conceal their faces in public with Guy
Fawkes masks. Their group participation is straightforward but requires masking their identities
online as well. If a member’s identity is revealed, they lose their membership (Anonymous
Hackers Definition - Glossary | NordVPN, 2023). Some people say that Anonymous is not an
organization, it is an idea or a decentralized and non-hierarchical movement. Hence, it is a loose
international movement of digital activists known for cyberattacks against governments,
corporations, and organizations. This ideology is represented through the elements of their logo.
The central feature is the suit without a head signifying that there is no leader or figurehead within
the group. The question mark in the logo highlights the main theme of anonymity. It suggests that
anyone, especially people who share the same philosophy as them, can be a part of the movement.
Lastly, their famous motto is “We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not
forget. Expect us.”. It encapsulates the essence of the movement and conveys the identity, mission,
their role in the internet and activism. The first phrase “We are Anonymous” means that they can
operate without revealing their personal identities. Their decentralized nature and their belief in
collective power are evident in the phrase “We are legion”. Next the warning phrase, “We do not
forgive. We do not forget.” speaks the stance of the movement on justice and accountability. As
a concluding phrase, “Expect Us” is a declaration of intent and their continuous presence in the
digital realm.

LulzSec

A hacker group was quickly gained for audacious cyber-attacks and an irreverent attitude
was formed in early 2010. The name of the group was derived from the internet slang “Lulz”, the
derivative of “LOL or laugh out loud” meaning for laugh and security which is what hackers like
to compromise. Similar to Anonymous, they are loose and decentralized. Given this fact, LulzSec
was created by Anonymous members who sought to create a different identity focused more on
mischief. On the other hand, the actions of LulzSec had a positive impact on the fields of
cybersecurity and hacktivism. They were able to raise awareness about critical security
vulnerabilities and highlighted the importance of data privacy. By 2011, the arrest of the members
leads to the downfall of the LulzSec.

The protest of Anonymous Philippines against Cybercrime Law

According to Rappler’s report, on the night of September 26, 2012, Anonymous

Philippines attacked the major websites of the Philippines such as the Central Bank and
Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewage System. At midnight of the following day, the website of
the Philippine Anti-Privacy Team and the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines also
become a victim. The two websites of the Department of Health were also hacked later. The hack
on Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas draws attention internationally. These attacks are protest against
Cybercrime Law. They stated that freedom of expression effectively ends because of the law. “The
Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is the most notorious act ever witnessed in the cyberhistory of
the Philippines, and the language of the bill is cunningly designed to make you think it only applies
to individuals who are deep in cybertechnology and doesn’t apply to everyone. (But) some part of
the bill basically says it can imprison anyone who commits libel either by written messages,
comments, blogs, or posts in sites such as Facebook, Twitter, or any other comment-spaces of
other social media in the Internet,” the hackers posted on the sites it defaced (II, 2012).

Anonymous Philippines and LulzSec hack COMELEC

On March 27, 2016, Anonymous Philippines hacked the website of the Commission on
Elections. It wants COMELEC to implement the security features of vote-counting machines
(VCMs), previously known as precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines. “We request the
implementation of the security features of the PCOS machines,” the hackers said. “Commission
on Elections, we are watching!” (Comelec Website Hacked a Month before Polls, 2016). The
warning from Anonymous Philippines was shown around 11:30 pm on Sunday on the hacked
COMELEC website. The website of the poll body was still operational at around 8 or 9 p.m. on
the same day. As of Monday, March 28 in the early morning, the website has been restored.
Nevertheless, LulzSec launched an attack shortly after, gained access to the poll body's data, and
made it available to the public online. The Facebook post of LulzSec Pilipinas showed three
mirrors' links to an index file that can be downloaded with the caption, “A great lol to Commission
on Elections, here’s your whoooooole database.”. This appears to be the first major open leak of
elections-related data by a hacker group in the Philippines. The data exposed not only includes
publicly available information, but also voter data, voter registration data, and databases relevant
to the functionality of the website (Jr, 2016). In defense, COMELEC said that the data leaks have
algorithms to decrypt. However, there is still a fact that these government agencies got hacked. It
is a flaw in cybersecurity, which could be a deeper and broader problem in the future. These
agencies hold important data, data that contains personal information of the Filipinos. In a nutshell,
this attack became a lesson to improve their system and impose resilient cybersecurity.
III. ETHICAL ANALYSIS
Morality of Hacktivism: Is it wrong?

In order to determine if hacktivism is wrong, this paper will use different ethical
perspectives such as consequentialism, deontological ethics, and virtue ethics.

In consequentialism, it is a theory that says whether something is good or bad depends on

its outcomes. The positive outcome of hacktivism is that it promotes transparency and
accountability and upholds justice which is morally justifiable. Inversely, the negative outcome is
the possibility of harming innocent people, interrupting essential services, and economic losses,
which is morally wrong. Moreover, deontology uses rules to distinguish right from
wrong. Also regardless of the outcomes they produce, actions are morally right if they conform to
established norms and duties. So, this theory will focus on the conflict between adherence to the
laws and the pursuit of higher morals. This perspective sees hacktivism as morally wrong because
of the involved activities such as unauthorized access to computer systems, data theft, and
cyberattacks. These activities are breaking the laws designed to protect the integrity, privacy, and
security of digital systems particularly the rights of the people and organizations. Due to the
pursuit of higher morals of hacktivism, some argue that breaking the law is morally accepted
because it aligns with the greater moral duty. This ethical perspective illustrates the intricate
relationship between moral duties and legal obligations, suggesting that it is difficult to classify
the morality of hacktivism and that both rules and values need to be carefully considered. Lastly,
in virtue ethics, the character and intentions of an individual are the basis to determine the morality
of an action. It emphasizes the virtue that constitutes good character. In continuation, some
hacktivist has good intentions that are motivated by justice and willingness to help others and
initiate collective actions, therefore it is morally good. However, some hackings are motivated by
personal gain or for fun and even out of malice which is morally wrong.

IV. RECOMMENDATION
Based on the paper and conclusion, the researcher formulated recommendations to create
a balanced approach towards hacktivism. In order to benefit from its positive impacts while
lessening its risk. Hence, it is recommended to increase public awareness about data privacy
through education by integrated data privacy and cybersecurity education into school curriculums
and through campaigns. Additionally, to work on a community that is well-informed about
cybersecurity. Technology companies also plays a vital role in strengthening cybersecurity as they
capable to provide user friendly privacy tools. For legislative sector, it is important to have
cybersecurity laws that define what is malicious hacking activities, ethical hacking or hacktivism
and its legal consequences. Lastly, some hacktivists may create a code of conduct (even unwritten),
to set principles and guidelines that guide their actions and behaviors.
 V. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, to determine the morality of hacktivism is complex and varies on the
perspectives. It considers the targets, means, intentions and its outcomes. Hacktivism is viewed as
a powerful tool for promoting transparency, accountability, and freedom of information in the
digital age. This perspective sees hacktivism as a form of activism that allows individuals or groups
to express dissent, draw attention to important issues, and push for change. From this standpoint,
hacktivism represents a response to perceived injustices or wrongdoings, providing a means for
marginalized voices to be heard. Examples include hacktivist actions that expose corporate
misconduct, government abuses, or human rights injustices. Such actions can serve as essential
checks in the digital space, promoting open dialogue and democratic values. However, the
opposing view considers hacktivism a form of cybercrime. Critics argue that regardless of the
motives behind it, hacking is illegal and infringes upon individuals’ or organizations’ right to
privacy (Hacktivism | Imperva, n.d.).
VI. MESSAGE TO YOUR PROFESSOR
Thank you for being an incredible mentor. I enjoyed the subjects and the class. I appreciate
your considerations during the entire semester. Thank you for teaching us and sharing your
experiences, advice, jokes, and stories. Indeed, it is learning beyond the book.
In relation to this paper, I am aware of your expertise in cybersecurity and national defense.
I strive to present a well-researched paper that will also pique my interest in computer literacy,
specifically cybersecurity. Therefore, your feedback regarding the paper will be respected.
Additionally, I am considering taking graduate studies related to computer literacy. I would
greatly appreciate any guidance or advice you can provide regarding potential graduate programs
or research opportunities in computer literacy and cybersecurity. Your expertise and mentorship
would be valuable as I navigate my academic journey.
Again, thank you for your time and dedication to your students!
- Kyla Montenegro 
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