Hacktivists work on own social network

After Friendster, Myspace, Facebook and Google+, a new social network is in the works – one run by controversial hacktivist group Anonymous. But the network, AnonPlus – apparently a play on Google’s Google+ - is still in the Alpha or early stage, with only a splash screen greeting visitors to its site. "Welcome to AnonPlus. This will be your future. This will be our future. Today, we welcome you to begin anew... to watch this glorious incipience happen - one upon which you will never turn your back on. Welcome to the Revolution - a new social network where there is no fear... of censorship... of blackout... nor of holding back," read the message on the splash screen. "There will be no more tyranny. We are the people and we are Anonymous. We have arrived," it added. However, a note at the bottom of the page indicated the site was still in "Alpha." Anonymous had claimed responsibility for attacks on websites of governments allegedly keeping information from the people. It earlier teamed up with other hacker groups, including the now-defunct Lulz Security, to run AntiSec – an operation seeking to steal and post sensitive data from government and corporate sites. Kicked out of Google+? Computer security firm Sophos reported Tuesday (Manila time) that Anonymous started work on AnonPlus, supposedly after it got kicked out of Google’s upcoming social network Google+. "Google+ has recently been enforcing a policy of shutting down profiles which contain fake names or those that represent organizations rather than individuals, so it’s not exactly surprising to see Anonymous-related profiles being zapped," Sophos senior technology consultant Graham Cluley said in a blog post. But Cluley noted AnonPlus is far from ready, even as he said it will be "interesting" to see if AnonPlus becomes popular once it launches with the people it is supposed to help. These include "those who are being prevented by oppressive regimes from sharing information freely and safely with the rest of the world," he said. Project not overnight A note on AnonPlus’ splash screen indicated the project "is not overnight" and will take many of those out there who simply want a better internet. It added the project is for "all" people and not just members of the collective. — RSJ, GMA News