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cover of episode Former Anonymous hacker worries he helped elect Trump

Former Anonymous hacker worries he helped elect Trump

2025/6/2
logo of podcast The Decibel

The Decibel

Shownotes Transcript

More than 20 years ago, a group of internet users created the online forum 4chan – a mixture of memes, pranks, disinformation and hate speech. Soon, a hacker group on the forum calling themselves Anonymous gained notoriety for their online pranks and disruption. But now, a former member of that hacker group says they regret the role they may have played) in driving today’s divisive political environment and wants to make amends.

Alexandra Posadzki )is the Globe’s financial and cybercrime reporter. She’ll talk about an interview she had with the hacker, who now faces criminal charges), and how memes on a toxic online forum bloomed into real-world consequences.

*Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at *[email protected])