2008

The Guy Fawkes mask was their chosen disguise. Although the collective has never officially stated the reasoning behind this choice, it’s likely an homage to an eerie scene in V for Vendetta in which a group of masked protesters marches on the British Parliament.

The Guy Fawkes Mask, a stylized depiction of Guy Fawkes’ (the best known member of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot to blow up the English Palace of Westminster in London) face, has become a global symbol of protest against politicians, banks, and other financial institutions, originally popularized by the 2005 movie “V for …

Within the graphic novel, the mask is a powerful symbol: it communicates the wearer’s allegiance to the spirit of Guy Fawkes—the man who tried and failed to blow up the Houses of Parliament in the 16th century (see Background Info)—and his opposition to the Norsefire government that controls England.

The correct way to wear masks, according to an infographic, is to wear it with the white side facing outwards if you are healthy, and with the blue side facing outwards if you are sick.

Since the 2005 release of the film V for Vendetta, the use of Guy Fawkes masks has become widespread internationally among groups protesting against politicians, banks, and financial institutions. The masks both conceal the identity and protect the face of individuals and demonstrate their commitment to a shared cause.

Anonymous

V takes on the persona of famous failed revolutionary Guy Fawkes through his mask. While many associate the Guy Fawkes mask with Anonymous rather than “V for Vendetta”, the graphic novel’s illustrator, David Lloyd is content with this development.

You can’t “join” Anonymous. Not because you’re not wanted or welcome, but because, as a new recruiting video explains, it’s “not an organization. It is not a club, a party, or even a movement. There is no charter, no manifest, no membership fees”.

Anonymous Official

It is not illegal to join Anonymous because you cannot join. Anonymous is a collective of computer coders, hackers, protesters, and geeks who are loosely linked on the web and are, well, anonymous. They do not use their real names.

Anonymity describes situations where the acting person’s identity is unknown. The important idea here is that a person be non-identifiable, unreachable, or untrackable.

Hector Xavier Monsegur

It allows them to speak and do things without having to take responsibility. Anonymity allows people to unleash their id and all the ugliness they conceal beneath their polite facades. The loss of anonymity might make many people more civil, but it might also chill a lot of valuable expression.

“Hiding behind a screen” enables users to speak their minds freely without being held accountable, inducing both a lack of empathy and intellectual thinking. As a result of anonymity, however, people are more likely to abandon the social norms and accountability that would otherwise have kept their behavior in check.

Depending on what you want to accomplish, here are five ways to search more anonymously online.

1. Use DuckDuckGo to search.
2. Manage how your browsing history is used by companies.
3. Use a VPN.
4. Use TOR browser.
5. Use a Private Browsing window.