Hacker group Anonymous declared war on ISIS shortly after the terrorist attacks in Paris. In their latest series of attacks on the Islamic State, Anonymous has declared Friday, Dec. 11 “troll ISIS day.”

The underground activist group has called upon fellow internet trolls to bombard ISIS with string of social media posts mocking the terrorist organization. ISIS, otherwise known by the Arabic name Daesh, relies heavily on the web to radicalize and recruit people.

According to an online post to GhostBin.com, Anonymous requested internet users to “show your support and help against ISIS by joining us and trolling them.” The call to action extends to all internet users, not just those who pledge allegiance to Anonymous, the post added. “Do not think you have to be a part of Anonymous, anyone can do this and does not require any special skills.”⁽¹⁾

The international network of “hactivists” suggested that people utilize Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to post and spread memes and messages mocking the terrorist organization. They also offered various tips about the art of internet trolling, such as posting mocking pictures of ISIS along with the hashtags #Daesh and #Daeshbags.⁽¹⁾

Beyond the internet

Outside of the internet, Anonymous suggested people make and print photos that satirize ISIS and distribute them around cities. Nevertheless, the group warned supporters to be careful, since terrorists could mistake the dissemination of material mocking ISIS as support for the Islamic State.

“Reports of Daeshbags targeting Anons due to ISIS memes. Make them more mad by joining us on Dec 11 #TrollingDay,” tweeted @AnonyOpNews, in an effort to stir up support on social media. Social media users picked up the call, like Twitter user @MattJozwiak who tweeted, “Anonymous has declared that Friday is national troll ISIS day! so get your memes ready!”⁽¹⁾

Anonymous has a mixed reputations on the web. The group first gained attention in 2003. They became widely known for their distinctive Guy Fawkes Masks, after releasing a series of videos chastising various corporations, governments and religious institutions. Their symbols were hijacked by radical progressives during “Million Mask Marches,” which further damaged their reputation.⁽²⁾

A history of social media attacks

This isn’t the first time the hacker organization has attempted to attack ISIS through social media. Following the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January, a sister Belgian organization declared “War against al Qaeda, the Islamic State and other terrorists.” The group claims to have taken down various French websites teaming with extremists, and over 1,500 ISIS supporters offline Facebook and Twitter.

In addition, following the terrorist attacks in Paris, an Anonymous campaign took down around 5,500 social media accounts related to the terrorist group. Although it’s difficult to confirm the 5,500 figure, Breitbart Tech reports the number of ISIS accounts taken offline by Anonymous was likely in the thousands. The group has vowed to rid the internet of ISIS-related activity – an ambitious goal but a goal worth pursuing nonetheless.⁽²⁾

“They (ISIS) thrive off of fear they hope that by their actions they can silence all of us and get us to just law low and hide in fear,” the Anonymous author wrote on ghostbin.com. “But what many forget and even they do is that there are many more people in the world against them than for them. And that is the goal of this mass uprising, on December 11th we will show them that we are not afraid, we will not just hide in our fear, we are the majority and with our strength in numbers we can make a real difference.”⁽¹⁾

Whether you love them or hate them, Anonymous is a force on the web that cannot be ignored, even by terrorists.

Sources include:

(1) CBSNews.com

(2) GLITCH.news