“I Left Anonymous. Now I’m Back”

Aubrey Cottle (AKA Kirtainer) is one of the key movers of one of the biggest hacking groups in the world, Anonymous. He talks about his personal motivations for being a hacker, how the organisation became global, who is involved and what they have achieved over the years. He describes some of the pits and falls of the organisation’s history, from famous examples like the church of Scientology, to more controversial hacks like the Epilepsy hack. He talks about the personal effects of being in the group, the impact of concealing identity and the toll on his mental health. He never ‘expected to unretire and start doing things again’, but after taking a hiatus from the organisation, he is back with more plans for Anonymous. In Super Users, we go down an internet rabbit hole to hear from people whose lives have become defined by their online presence. Check out the VICE World News playlist for global reporting you won’t find elsewhere: W