Anonymous - Operation Black March

Thursday, March 1st 2012 to Saturday 31st March 2012

With the continuing campaigns for Internet-censoring litigation such as SOPA and PIPA, and the closure of sites such as Megaupload under allegations of 'piracy' and 'conspiracy' the time has come to take a stand against music, film and media companies' lobbyists.

The only way is to hit them where it truly hurts.

Their profit margins.

March 2012 is the end of the 1st quarter in economic reports worldwide.

Do not buy a single record. Do not download a single song, legally or illegally. Do not go to see a single film in cinemas, or download a copy, Do not buy a DVD in the stores. Do not buy a videogame. Do not buy a single book or magazine.

Wait the 4 weeks to buy them in April: see the film later, etc. Holding out for just 4 weeks, maximum, will leave a gaping hole in media and entertainment companies' profits for the 1st quarter, an economic hit which will in turn be observed by governments worldwide as stocks and shares will blip from a large enough loss of incomes.

This action can give a statement of intent:

"We will not tolerate the Media Industries' lobbying for legistation which will censor the internet." Regarding Black March: If you want to do something that makes a statement, consider shifting your money not only away from corporate media but to independent media. Buy comics published by someone other than DC and Marvel. Buy books from small and independent presses. Support independent production companies who fight to stay independent and fan-focused. Better yet, buy things directly from creators and artisans. Support independent retailers. Don't just blanket punish media producers and distributors—refocus those resources into supporting the ones who espouse and depend on free exchange of information and ideas. Because those are the people preserving intellectual freedom. Those are the people creating work of substance. And those are the people struggling to make a living, because they aren't bankrolled by the Corporate Elite lobbying for SOPA and PIPA.

Anonymous Message to ACTA Supporters [D]

Corrupt governments of the world,

We are Anonymous.

For some time now, voices have been crying out in unison against the ACTA treaty. The gross inadequacies of the new laws being passed internationally have been pointed out repeatedly. Our chief complaint is that such measures would restrict people's access to the internet.

In these modern times access to the internet is quickly becoming a basic human right. Just like any other basic human right, we believe that it is wrong to infringe upon it. To threaten to cut people off from the global consciousness as you have, is criminal and abhorrent. To move to censor content on the internet based on your own prejudice is at best, laughably impossible, at worst, morally reprehensible.

To impede on the rights of the public, with unjust precendent, is not acceptable to Anonymous, nor to the public in whom we represent. This has become quite clear across the globe. And so too, shall we make it clear to the European Parliament.

The unjust restrictions you impose on us, will meet with disaster and only strengthen our resolve to disobey, and rebel against your tyranny. Such actions taken against you, and those you out source your malignant litigation to, are inevitable, involuntary,unavoidable and unstoppable.

It is to interest of us, that this is not the first time ACTA was heard, or spoken of. We take note, to incidents arising in 2009, relating to the significant amount of nondisclosure agreements between ACTA and companies like Google, eBay, Sony, and Verizon. This further proves our point, that the purpose of ACTA is to impose nothing more than internet censorship across Europe.

In September 2008, a number of interest groups urged parties to the ACTA negotiations to disclose the language of the evolving agreement. In an open letter, the groups argued that: "Because the text of the treaty and relevant discussion documents remain secret, the public has no way of assessing whether and to what extent these and related concerns are merited." The interest groups included: the Consumers Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Essential Action, IP Justice, Knowledge Ecology International, Public Knowledge, Global Trade Watch, the US Public Interest Research Group, IP Left (Korea), the Canadian Library Association, the Consumers Union of Japan, the National Consumer Council (UK) and the Doctors without Borders' Campaign for Essential Medicines. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Public Knowledge have filed a FOIA request which was denied

The University of Ottawa's Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic filed an access to information request but received only a document stating the title of the agreement, with everything else blacked out.

Both the Bush administration and the Obama administration had rejected requests to make the text of ACTA public, with the White House saying that disclosure would cause "damage to the national security

In 2009, Knowledge Ecology International filed a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request in the United States, but their entire request was denied

Much like Guy Fawkes stood for freedom of Britian, so too will we stand for freedom of the internet from the hands of ACTA, SOPA, PIPA and all other entities that impose censorship on the internet we know and love.

Members, and supporters beware, the European Parliament may stand to impose your legislation, but Anonymous does not. If you shall be so inclined as to doubt our power, we bear in mind that we have toppled the Playstation Network, The US Department of Justice, Universal Studios, The FBI and WMG.

In the past, we have brought justice to, and toppled the governments of Tunisia, The United Arab Emirates, The United States of America, Austrailia, and New Zealand.

Let this be our only warning to you, withdraw ACTA or so too, will we topple ACTA and the European Parliament.

ACTA cannot and will not pass!

We Are Anonymous

We Are Legion

We Do Not Forgive

We Do Not Forget

Supporters of ACTA, Expect Us.