Griefers Assault Epileptics Via Message Board 621
An anonymous reader tips us to a story up at Wired reporting on what may be the first computer attack to inflict physical harm on victims. Last Saturday, griefers posted hundreds of bogus messages on the support forums of the nonprofit Epilepsy Foundation that used JavaScript and strobing GIFs to trigger migraines and seizures in users. For about 3% of the 50 million epileptics worldwide, flashing lights and colors can trigger seizures. "'I don't fall over and convulse, but it hurts,' says [an IT worker in Ohio]. 'I was on the phone when it happened, and I couldn't move and couldn't speak.' ... Circumstantial evidence suggests the attack was the work of members of Anonymous, an informal collective of griefers best known for their recent war on the Church of Scientology. The first flurry of posts on the epilepsy forum referenced the site EBaumsWorld, which is much hated by Anonymous. And forum members claim they found a message board thread — since deleted — planning the attack at 7chan.org, a group stronghold."
Definitions please (Score:3, Interesting)
Very Neuromancer (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Anonymous, or the Hubbardistas? (Score:0, Interesting)
Seen This Before (Score:4, Interesting)
For someone to do this on purpose is kinda sick.
Ganty
More like... (Score:4, Interesting)
I have a true Scientology story.... (Score:5, Interesting)
In other words, I do believe they would do something like you are suggesting.
I also would expect another phone call from them tomorrow for this post :~(
Re:Cruel and unusual (Score:5, Interesting)
I am surprised that sufferers of this condition can't get filtering software for their computer though that analyzes what is happening on the screen and blacks out, or otherwise makes safe, dangerous content. Looking for strobes should be a fairly easy thing. Hell, I'd be surprised if a lot of ad banners don't cause seizures.
Re:Anonymous, or the Hubbardistas? (Score:5, Interesting)
And yes, I do have epilepsy, but not the photosensitive kind. Back in the days when the only way to make a rapid strobe light was with xenon or neon there was a lot of attention paid to pulse rates, intensity and containment. You were not supposed to just set it up anywhere. You had to warn people.
Now that anybody can make a strobe with an array of cheap LED's the photosensitivity issue is being ignored. This is a problem because it goes beyond people with recognised seizure problems. We should not be feeding pulse trains into our eyes which mimic signals which always run inside our brains.
Re:Assholes (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Smear campaign by Scientology (Score:5, Interesting)
It's not useful to associate "anonymous" as a group or entity. "Anonymous" is a completely chaotic, anarchistic, loose association. It is akin to race. There are (excuse this analogy) white people, and there are other white people who do bad things, and there are yet more white people who do good things. It is not useful to say "white people" are anything, except that "white people" came from europe and have a history of colonialism.
It is exactly the same with "anonymous". Anonymous is simply a subset of most people in the world who use the internet, and there is a subse tof them who do other things, and a subset of THEM who attack things, and a subset of this which may have assaulted an epilepsy board. But none of them are really related beyond circumstance.
The point is "anonymous" does not have any goals or means or anything. They don't even share interests, the only real connection is a mode of communication (and often web sites). Some anonymous coalesce to do things, like protest scientology or mess around on the internet, but they are not related except by modes of action. Attributing causal notions to this Anonymous is fallacy.
Re:I was wondering when this would happen (Score:3, Interesting)
Snowcrash? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:May or may not be the same Anons (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:More like... (Score:3, Interesting)
The 'War against the Rull' by A. E. Van Vogt had that idea as well.
That work was from either the 40s or 50s, which would predate Langford. :D
Re:May or may not be the same Anons (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Anonymous, or the Hubbardistas? (Score:3, Interesting)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griefer [wikipedia.org] the thing is Anon took griefing from video games into real life. before we called people who did that pranksters but the term griefing is much better since some people are so malignant towards their fellow human being that every way of causing others pain and suffering is 'cool' and 'hip' to them.
so you can take your tinfoil hat off about CoS making Anon look bad, the people trying to show the evil of the CoS have mistakenly taken the name 'Anon' without understanding that these are the kind of people who never grew out of giving nerd wedgies, they're the kind of people who thought 'fight club' was a wussy movie... they're the kind of people who get a kick dying their dead grandmothers hair blue for the open casket...
they feed off of doing wrong for the sake of doing wrong, that's the mark of a true anon...
however the CoS may well be behind Anon's darker side getting press online... I had never heard of them until today...
Re:Cruel and unusual (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Smear campaign by Scientology (Score:2, Interesting)
And I know that Chanology started from the *chans, hence the name, but the *chans have rejected it since it took the high ground.
-uso.
This is a "false flag" tactic by Scientology (Score:5, Interesting)
The cult is doing this to make Anonymous look bad.
I used to be a Scientologist, and I can tell you based on first hand experience that this is EXACTLY what the cult would do.
This is not the work of those who fight and oppose the cult of Scientology.
The cult has already taken to creating fake videos and messages that appear to be from Anonymous and that contain threats of violence against the cult itself. This latest stunt is simply the next step in their campaign of demonizing Anonymous.
The problem with Anonymous is that anyone can pretend to be part of the group. While they are highly resistant to efforts by the cult to target them as individuals, they are vulnerable to false-flag tactics such as this one.
This is not the first time the cult has done this. Back in the 70's they targeted a woman for writing a book that revealed the evil nature of the cult. The cult responded by forging evidence linking her to a fake bomb threat, among other things:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Freakout [wikipedia.org]
She was facing a long prison sentence until the FBI accidentally discovered that the cult had set her up while conducting another investigation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White [wikipedia.org]
Scientology is evil. It is something that most people who have never dealt with the cult have a hard time understanding or believing. To describe the nature of this cult to someone who is unfamiliar with it is very difficult because polite society lacks the terms needed to accurately convey the depth of evil found within this organization. It is also difficult because an accurate description defies belief. Most people are unable to contemplate something so evil actually existing in the real world.
But scientology is that bad, and it is real. Its victims are a multitude and its crimes are horrific.
But don't take my word for it, read up on it yourself:
http://www.xenu.net/ [xenu.net]
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/ [cmu.edu]
Re:May or may not be the same Anons (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm no more required to hide my identity than I am required to participate in harassing epileptics.
Re:I have a true Scientology story.... (Score:4, Interesting)
How many Scientologists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
damn, I don't have a punchline for that.
I'm personally entertained that they *won't* talk to me.
I was looking for work, and there was a scientologist owned company (the owners were scientologists, they weren't "owned" by the organization). My reasoning was, I've worked for a lot of different people who haven't converted me to or from anything, if they're paying a paycheck, I'll work for them.
I showed up for the "interview", and was told there were some papers I needed to fill out. Fine. For past interviews, I've filled out application forms, NDA, etc, etc.
They walked me into their conference room, and put a test in front of me. No big deal, Rackspace gives a personality test as part of their process too. I caught the L. Ron Hubbard name at the bottom, and I had spotted books on Management for Scientologists in the office, but this wasn't quite what I expected for an INTERVIEW. I caught the name of one of the tests on my camera phone while taking the tests.
I'll summarize the tests as, they were a crappy excuse for personality and IQ tests, almost blatantly testing to if I would be easily converted to their cause.
After I got home, I started researching what these tests were, both from questions I remembered, and from the name I caught on my phone.
As I discovered, there are different scoring levels. Basically, the low end is people who are stupid and easily bent, but not worthwhile. The middle 80% is their target audience, with varying levels in the middle. The high end is where I'm sure I landed. While my personality is glowing in person, I'm not easy swayed to things without substantial facts and personal research.
Since they didn't reschedule the actual interview where I could talk to the boss (not just the receptionist/secretary), I emailed a week later just asking for my scores, out of curiousity. No response. Another week later, I asked again, no response. So I gave up.
Really, it makes sense. If I got the job there, I may let them tell me all about Scientology, but I'm going to start poking holes in it, and eventually some or most of the people working there are going to start questioning things. You don't need blind faith disciples questioning things. Blind faith is a great thing until it's questioned.
Hey guys, no offense. Everyone believes something, even if they believe in nothing.
Re:May or may not be the same Anons (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Anonymous, or the Hubbardistas? (Score:3, Interesting)
Any idea if they test police lights for this on the new cars where they just flash LEDs instead of spinning a light around? I always worry they're going to give someone a seizure when I see some of the more extreme versions.
Re:Smear campaign by Scientology (Score:5, Interesting)
An extension of their most certainly not dead Fair Game [wikipedia.org] policy, which states that Scientology critics, or "Suppressive Persons (SPs)", "may be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed."
Scary stuff, especially for a group claiming to be a religion.
Re:May or may not be the same Anons (Score:1, Interesting)
HAHAHA so anonymous has basically the same structure as Al Qaeda.
Re:Yet another reason javascript should be abandon (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:"No anonymous" (Score:2, Interesting)
also, this is modded 5 informative? WTF?
Right here on slashdot, the defenders of privacy and anonymity rights? Unbelievable.
Copy of 7chan instigation thread (Score:3, Interesting)
File: 120624198932.jpg-(7.37KB, 196x200, 3doitfaggot1frtbwrsgbds.jpg)
//-->
/r/ sticky ;_;
//-->
MIEN EYES Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:13 No. 2501134
Epeleptic forum raid..
1) Make account. 2) Spam flashing gifs, party hard etc. 3) Troll the userbase. 4) ??? 5)PROFIT!! CURRENT TARGET:http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/efforums/forum/
Precious Javascript Weapon:
window.location = "http://gilf.co.nr/myeyes"
ALWAYS WEAR A CONDOM!
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:14 No. 2501142 | this has potential for lulz and win.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:16 No. 2501165 | anon armed and ready.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:22 No. 2501208 | First good fucking idea I've seen in days. I'll be right over there once I'm done fapping on my bosses desk.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:23 No. 2501214 | Good principal, probably won't work in practice.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:23 No. 2501217 | this is relevant to my interests
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:25 No. 2501231 | Wait, their forums support Javascript? That means...they support HTML? FUCK this will be too easy
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:30 No. 2501289 | Haha. Holy fucking shit. I wrote that code...fuck that, Anonymous wrote that code. For Anon By Anon. The Javascript is a nice touch...I'ma go flood that shit now.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:32 No. 2501296 | >>2501134 }} oh wow, thats gotta be the best idea ive ever heard, well done.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:36 No. 2501322 | File: 120624335935.jpg-(67.39KB, 850x719, FreeInternet.jpg) By the time I got there, you have all already filled it with seizurebait. GOOD FUCKING JOB, ANONS, WELL PLAYED.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:37 No. 2501337 | I laughed really hard.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:38 No. 2501346 } someone get a cookie stealing script and post it on a legit thread, then hack the whole thing, give it epic flashing index.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:38 No. 2501352 | File: 120624350150.jpg-(32.28KB, 1138x48, 1206240592977.jpg) >> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:39 No. 2501360 | >>2501352 }} lol'd
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:39 No. 2501366 |
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:42 No. 2501388 | File: 120624374380.jpg-(5.90KB, 1030x41, epilepsy.jpg) also, requesting sticky
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:42 No. 2501395 | >>2501352 }} I fuckin lol'd hard
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:43 No. 2501400 | This is evil
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:43 No. 2501403 | OH GOD HOW DID I GET HERE IM NOT GOOD WITH COMPUTER
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:44 No. 2501409 | >>2501134 }} Hi I'm going to hijack your thread nao. Where did the Do It spider expert originally come from? Sadly despite months of lurking moar I have yet to figure out where I've seen this bitch before.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:44 No. 2501412 | The name pedrobear made me lol. +1 internet to whoever that is
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:44 No. 2501413 | this isn't funny my brother did that way. Also, sticky this, plox.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:44 No. 2501418 | >>2501413 }} died* I fail.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:47 No. 2501435 | I haert u so hard anon lol.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:47 No. 2501436 |
window.location = "http://www.hey.doyouhaveepilepsy.com/"
Even better script
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:47 No. 2501438 | Ah god, I love you evil bastards.
>> Anonymous 08/03/22(Sat)20:48 No. 2501450 | Is somebody DDoSing it too, cause it's getting slow as fuck
Re:Sickening (Score:3, Interesting)
Actually I seem to remember there were two women posting on that message board who got killed by status seizures within weeks of each other, just a few months ago.
Re:Copy of 7chan instigation thread (Score:1, Interesting)
They could have killed somebody. Fucking with people's heads is one thing. Fucking with their nervous system so they choke on their tongues is something else.
Freaking out polite society for lolz is one thing.
Killing people for lolz is why we have jails.
This is the kind of sociopathic shit that's going to lead to all kinds of new regulations getting passed. If we don't want the government to come in trying to police us, we've got to police our own.
Re:Smear campaign by Scientology (Score:5, Interesting)
I know. It wouldn't make any sense to do something awful and attribute it to an enemy if the action is not plausible. But from what I understand, Anonymous' targets have been people who "offended" them in some way, or people so loathed by the general public that the majority will not object.
Anonymous attacking the "Church" of Scientology makes sense. Anonymous attacking random epileptics does not. Also, it's worth remembering that most epileptics are dependent on pharmacological treatment, and the "Church" claims that they can treat epilepsy without drugs. They are wrong, of course and have a body count to prove it [whyaretheydead.net].
Re:Smear campaign by Scientology (Score:3, Interesting)
So based upon past patterns of behaviour, the anti-Co$ anonymous would be very unlikely (discounting no fixed members or control over members) to have attacked a third party, where as Co$ based upon it's history would basically be very likely to do it.
Now of course the nature of the attack itself, a physiological and psychological attack, hmm, does that not sound like a group well versed in psychology and with a pathological hatred for the psychiatric profession and it's patients, and in fact this group claims to be the worlds only true experts in the human mind. Seriously could any one consider this to be the work of a bunch of ill informed, mal adjusted script kiddies, oddly enough, complete with carefully planted evidence in public forums prior to the event.
Re:May or may not be the same Anons (Score:3, Interesting)
DOS on CNS (Score:2, Interesting)
Incidentally, Coeur d'Alene is in Idaho, not Ohio.