The hacker collective Anonymous claimed to launch its "biggest operation ever" against ISIS after the Paris terror attacks, but nearly two weeks later, those inside the group are complaining their efforts — which mostly consist of reporting ISIS Twitter accounts — aren't really doing anything.
"We need to get real info this Twitter stuff isn't doing s--- in my opinion," one Anon wrote this week, in an online chat room Anonymous uses to coordinate and discuss operations. "Yea, it really isn't doing anything. Those saying it are mainly newbloods," another wrote, using a term to describe people who are new to Anonymous.
After the launch of what it referred to as #OpParis (also known as #OpISIS), Anonymous since claimed it was successful in removing more than 20,000 pro-ISIS Twitter accounts. The group also released a how-to guide for outsiders to get involved, while also releasing publicly-shared notepads similar to Google Docs to track potential targets.
But going public doesn't seem to be working so well. The operation has so far produced "wildly inaccurate" lists of targets, according to The Daily Dot. The BBC found its Twitter accounts on one list, along with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama, and others unrelated to ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State.
Further, at least two websites run by academic researchers who track and research jihadis have been caught up in the crossfire.
'Don't know who had the idea to release a pad to the public.'
At least a few Anons this week have been discussing what went wrong and how it can be fixed, though in a crowd of anonymous faces, that may be easier said than done. Especially now that the operation has seemingly evolved from taking down ISIS accounts into spamming them with a childish "Rickroll" video.
"People can keep doing what they're doing," one Anon wrote in an online chat, urging others to go after ISIS' wallet instead: "But other people need to be following the money and getting the sources."
Part of the problem of focusing efforts comes from how the group is structured, or lack thereof. There are no membership requirements or initiation; anyone can just say they are part of Anonymous. While that seems like a recipe for disaster, operations in the past usually had internal leadership coordinating various cells, according to "X," a hacker who has been with the group for years.
But in the latest operation against ISIS, it was decided to involve the public to a greater degree — a move some believe is the root of the group's questionable tactics. "Don't know who had the idea to release a pad to the public," one Anon wrote in an online chat.
This isn't the first time Anons have debated #OpParis, an operation that has been a source of disagreement among many since the very beginning.
"This has nothing to do with stopping ISIS (didn't we already have Operation ISIS?) It's about stroking the ego of Anonymous in a desperate attempt to be relevant," one Anon named Discordian wrote, in an open letter at Pastebin. And "X" told Tech Insider that he did not agree with, "nor [would he] actively support" the operation, though he noted that he'd also not hinder other Anons from proceeding.
Meanwhile, an offshoot group of Anonymous called GhostSec has been trying a different approach: Rather than shutting down ISIS websites and Twitter accounts, the anonymous hackers claim to be spying on them and passing on details to law enforcement.
"We would much prefer to stop attacks than shut down websites," the executive director of GhostSec told BBC on condition of anonymity. "Anonymous are hitting some extremist forums that have intelligence value, but we would like forums to stay online so we can see what people are saying and gather intelligence from them."
