Operation Payback:

Twitter is next in its sights, following allegations that the social networking site is "censoring" visibility of the breadth of discussion of WikiLeaks by preventing it from appearing in Twitter's "trends".

WikiLeaks: Who are the hackers behind Operation Payback?

Twitter has denied that it is doing this, saying its systems identify topics that are "being talked about more right now than they were previously" — which doesn't include WikiLeaks. But who, or what, is — or are — Anonymous? A year-old spokesman, who wished to be known only as "Coldblood", told the Guardian that the group — which is about a thousand strong — is "quite a loose band of people who share the same kind of ideals" and wish to be a force for "chaotic good".

There is no real command structure in the group, the London-based spokesman said, while most of its members are teenagers who are "trying to make an impact on what happens with the limited knowledge they have". But others are parents, IT professionals and people who happen to have time — and resources — on their hands. The group has gained notoriety for its attacks on copyright-enforcement agencies and organisations such as the Church of Scientology.

Anonymous was born out of the influential internet messageboard 4chan , a forum popular with hackers and gamers, in MasterCard tonight said in a statement it was "working to restore normal service levels" after "a concentrated effort to flood our corporate web site with traffic and slow access. MasterCard announced on Monday that it would no longer process donations to WikiLeaks, which it claimed was engaged in illegal activity. Visa, Amazon , Swiss bank PostFinance and others have also announced in recent days that they will cease trading with the whistleblowing site.

Operation Payback | Know Your Meme

The moves have led to concerted attempts by hackers to target companies they deem guilty of "censoring" WikiLeaks. Operation Payback, which has been targeting commercial sites that have cut their ties with WikiLeaks for some days, has also made threats to other organisations including Twitter, which it says is suppressing the site. The major shitstorm has begun," it added.

Twitter has issued a statement denying it has censored the hashtag, and saying confusion had arisen over its "trending" facility.

Background

Meanwhile it has also emerged that Visa has today ordered DataCell, an IT firm that helps WikiLeaks collect payments, to suspend all of its transactions — even those involving other payees — a day after it cut off all the firm's donations being made to WikiLeaks. DataCell, a small Icelandic company that facilitates transfers made by credit cards including Visa and MasterCard, says it will take up "immediate legal actions" and warned that the powerful "duopoly" of Visa and MasterCard could spell "the end of the credit card business worldwide".

Andreas Fink, chief executive of DataCell, said in a statement: It is obvious that Visa is under political pressure to close us down. We will rebuild the world to our likeness according to the US Constitution with its strict criteria.

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Sean, I am a journalist writing about Operation Payback. I would like to chat with you. Can you contact me? This is all thanks to WikiLeaks and an intriguing diplomatic cable regarding the release of Nelson Mandela. I propose a new artistic platform in which my fellow, youthful brethren may join their voice with the collective voice. As WE, Mankind as a whole, start our ascent into the Age of Aquarius, we must strengthen this collective voice; give it a new validity and re-invigorate the substance and heart behind Our Brave New World.

I am an artist with a receptive eye. Your email address will not be published.

Payback broadens to "Operation Avenge Assange" December 6, The following statement was made available on their website late Sunday afternoon: Offer WikiLeaks an additional mirror and have it Googlebombed. Create counter-propaganda, organizing attacks DDoS on various targets related to censorship time, date and target will be published by that time. Contact media entities, inform them that Operation: Payback has come out in support of Wikileaks, and has declared war on the entities involved in censoring there information; we will seek public support in a campaign against censorship.

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We will find and will attack those who stand against Wikileaks and we will support WikiLeaks in everything they need. Operation Avenge Assange click for full size The first attack was aimed squarely at PayPal for refusing to support donations to WikiLeaks. Payback organizer had this to say about the new WikiLeaks initiative: The World Cup and Virus.

Operation Payback ahora es Operation Avenge Assange. Give them hell boys!!!!!! I support you and Operation Payback. DDoS as an easy way to revenge following Julian Assange arrest up4b. Cablegate and the aftermath: Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.