Hacktivism and Cyberwars: Rebels with a Cause?

This detailed history of hacktivism's evolution from early hacking culture to its present day status as the radical face of online politics describes the ways in which hacktivism has re-appropriated hacking techniques to create an innovative new form of political protest. The authors provide an explanation of the different strands of hacktivism ranging from such avant garde groups as the Electronic Disturbance Theatre to more virtually-focused groups labelled "the digitally correct". The full social and historical context of hacktivism is portrayed to take into account its position in terms of new social movements, direct action, and its contribution to the anti-globalization debate. This book provides an important corrective flip-side to mainstream accounts of E-commerce and broadens the conceptualization of the internet to take into full account the other side of the digital divide.

Paul A. Taylor is a Senior Lecturer in the Institute for Communication Studies at the University of Leeds.