There is something very wrong when New Zealand gets attention from RT two days in a row.
Dotcom
says Anonymous protest hack of NZ govt websites will backfire
Hackers
disabled several websites of New Zealand's ruling party to protest a
new law that would enable the country’s spy agency to snoop on its
citizens. Kim Dotcom said hacking the sites only gave PM John Key “a
new excuse to pass the GCSB bill”.
RT,
30
July 2013
Dear Anonymous NZ, hacking National Party websites is just giving John Key a new excuse to pass the #GCSB bill (cybercrime). Please stop it.
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Dotcom,
the MegaUpload founder who the victim of Government Communications
Security Bureau (GCSB) snooping last year, is among those outraged by
the New Zealand bill. However, the internet mogul said on Twitter
that hacking National Party websites would only make things worse.
The
bill was actually prompted by disclosures that the Bureau had
illegally spied on Dotcom, who is fighting attempts by the US
government to extradite him on charges of Internet piracy, copyright
infringement, and money laundering.
On
July 28 hacktivist group Anonymous uploaded a video on YouTube
claiming responsibility for the hacking of fourteen websites,
including those for Prime Minister John Key and Finance Minister Bill
English. The attack was prompted by Key’s refusal to listen to
protests against the ''despicable piece of legislation''.
“This
new law allows to spy on New Zealanders without a warrant. We
strongly condemn this bill,” the video message explained. “John
Key, do you think you can pass a new law without a majority of New
Zealanders behind it?”
A
screenshot from gerrybrownlee.com
The
websites of the Prime Minister and Finance Minister were restored
after being attacked around midnight. The website of the Deputy
Leader of the National Party Gerry Brownlee is still disabled.
The
surveillance bill, which is expected to be passed in parliament,
would give the GCSB carte blanche to listen in on citizens’ phone
conversations. As things stand now, it spies on foreign targets via
electronic listening posts but is not allowed to spy on New Zealand
citizens or residents.
The
law has been slammed by Internet and civil rights groups, prompting
street protests over the weekend. Thousands of people turned out in
eleven cities and towns across New Zealand in what was dubbed as an
“uphill battle” to stop the bill from coming into effect.
''It
has come to our attention that the thousands that have marched
against this bill has still not been enough to send John Key and
Peter Dunne a message," Anonymous said in the video message.
"John
Key make no mistake the majority of New Zealanders oppose this bill.
Due to your own arrogance and your unwillingness to listen to the
people we have decided to take direct action.''
Anonymous
promised that the websites would remain offline until the National
Party patched its web servers or withdrew the bill and apologized to
those it had affected, including Kim Dotcom.
Last
January New Zealand police stormed Dotcom’s mansion, seizing assets
and digital material. A judge later condemned the raid as illegal and
ordered law enforcement to return items that were seized that were
not directly linked the case against Dotcom. The judge’s decision
also led to an official apology from Key to Dotcom, who alleged that
the GCSB collaborated with the US government in a bid to comply with
the extradition order issued by Washington.
This is what happens when the government is attacking internet freedom. As a subscriber of an Australian internet service provider, I believe the internet should be free for all.
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