“A publication only used to denounce”
During the last few years, researchers have observed the emergence of communities on websites devoted to social interaction. Anonymous is one of these communities and opinions are divided as to the true nature of this group. Some feel that they are criminal anarchists, others hold that it is a simple online community of people who share the same ideologies, and still others believe that the group represents an emerging social movement. It is difficult to give a precise picture of what the Anonymous movement is and very little knowledge is available so far about its dynamics. The main purpose of this research is to increase knowledge about the online communities who identify with Anonymous in Canada, taking into account differences between regions and subgroups. Analyzing Facebook publications on different pages that identify with Anonymous in Canada provided a sample of the types and themes of the most popular publications. The analysis shows that all subgroups are actively engaged in taking positions in social and political debates. In addition, some sub-groups call for more concrete actions to defend their opinion but, in general, calls to action are rare. In the context of Facebook communities, Anonymous’s subgroups do not seem to stand out from any other communities that denounce conflicting situations in society.