The Untamed Web

For over a century, propaganda war has been one of the greatest weapons among the countries and blocks. From Hitler to the WMD gaffe, the mighty and the powerful have used the media to convince the masses across the world about stories that never happened. In retrospect, it appears as if the past and future events were premeditated, orchestrated and implemented with impeccable precision. Thank God, the premeditated and orchestrated outcomes of such events are not predictable.

But, since the dawn of the internet era, the clout on the propaganda game is shifting towards a small group of people from different countries and ethnic groups. They might be small, but their collective power has helped topple governments and shutdown biggest corporations. They might look different and speak different languages. But, they all have a common goal: Fight against the unjust. And, the superpowers or the rich or the powerful can do nothing about it. Thanks to the Web and Social Networking. It is called the Cyber War.

This is how it works to wage a Cyber War.

All you need is to mobilize an intensely fast-paced Internet forum with hundreds of determined activists and a simple piece of software called a Low Orbit Ion Cannon. Activists choose targets by consensus, download the LOIC – initially developed to help Internet security experts test website vulnerability to DDoS attacks – and start firing packets of data at the targeted website.

• Role in Tunisia’s “Jasmine Revolution”.
• Wikileaks-inspired attacks on Mastercard and Visa.
• Attack on Zimbabwe government (seen as enemies of free speech).
• Attack on Estonian government (due to a row between Estonia and Russia)

There have been reports about Tunisian inspired demonstrations in Yemen and Algeria. I can imagine a group of activist working day and night to facilitate demonstrations and add fuel to fire. Most of these activists claim that they do not have bad intentions and they consider themselves as good Samaritans fighting for the weak against the unjust powers.

Pen is mightier than the sword. Cliché, but it is apt for any generation, as it reflects the power of the human mind and spirit. Books and Newspapers are used to rekindle the human spirit, but the power of it has lost its thrust and reliance, as most of the World events are perceived by the public as orchestrated. Thanks to the Corporations that have tamed the offline media.

The Internet has evolved as an effective online platform for Social Networking. The intuitiveness and accessibility of the Internet for the masses has made it so powerful and intensive to stir the human spirit across boundaries.

Thanks to the untamed Web. At least, it is untamed for now.......