“I was there when Anonymous started” – a documentary

“We’re in 42 countries and 143 cities. What we have done is so bombastic and huge that the media has no choice but to cover it,” – Gregg Housh.

In an exclusive interview with OG Anonymous member Gregg Housh, a hacktivist who was there from the very beginning, we are afforded a unique opportunity to hear the story of Anonymous’ conception from an insider's perspective.

From its global protest against the Church of Scientology to its long and arduous cyberwar against Russia, Anonymous remains firmly in the minds of many as one of the leading hacktivist movements of the 21st century.

But have you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of this notorious hacking group? Many want to know what motivates them, how they work, and what it takes to be a part of the team.

Hacking groups are often characterized as elusive organizations. They might be seen as guarded or unwilling to fraternize with outsiders for fear of being uncovered. However, some enjoy the attention and might even advertise their exploits to further expedite their mission.

For years, those following Anonymous have disputed its position on this sliding scale. Now, an original group member, Gregg Housh, met with the Cybernews team to discuss how the group started out.

This prolific hacktivist movement has been active for almost 20 years and is well-known worldwide for its hacking conquests.

Yet, no one knows exactly what occurred inside the notorious hacking gang until now.

Anonymous: an accidental revolution

In the documentary, Gregg discusses timelines, dispels myths about Anonymous's conception, and explains how Anonymous grew from the humble 4Chan into one of the largest global hacktivist movements.

“The very first thing that you could call Anonymous was an outright joke of a bunch of people who were having a conversation on a website called 4Chan. For a solid year and a half, it was just about trolling. It was about having fun online at the expense of people who would play along,” Gregg said

What started as something small grew into an entire community wanting to fight for the greater good.

“Then we went from a couple hundred to 10,000 people, all claiming to be Anonymous members,” Gregg said in the documentary.

The accidental revolution that is Anonymous started from online trolls looking for a place to call home, which compounded into the household name we all know today.

We are everywhere

The name Anonymous is so prolific that it is used in all corners of the globe. Some are in Congress, others are in positions of power in corporations, and others are journalists, editors, and chiefs of nationwide corporations, “Anonymous is everywhere,” Gregg said.

Anonymous’s campaign against the Church of Scientology was the event that really put the hacktivist movement on the map in 2008.

“Scientology, one of our first big enemies, spent a lot of money to identify me and put me, my name, my face, and pictures of me out in public and take me to court and file charges.”

At the time, Gregg became Anonymous’ main contact for various media channels.

For over a decade, Gregg has played a vital role in helping us understand Anonymous. He has been quoted in publications worldwide discussing various topics, from hacking to politics.

To learn more about Gregg and his role in Anonymous, watch our latest documentary, “I Was There When Anonymous Started,” available now on YouTube.