## HackWeiser
[RPT-565]
As founders of a renowned hacking magazine and executors of high-profile defacements, what motivated your group's formation, and what do you believe was your impact on the cyber community?We came together out of a shared frustration with corporations and governments using technology to control information and infringe on freedoms. Our motivation was giving people the transparency needed to make informed decisions. Through thoughtful hacktivism, we aimed to expose questionable activities without causing unnecessary harm. Our magazine became a platform for promoting ethics and justice in the digital era. More than our individual actions, we hope our legacy is inspiring future generations to use their skills to fight oppression and spread truth.
Project China marked a significant moment for your group. Can you delve into the strategic aims of this project and its reception within the hacking community?The aim of Project China was highlighting censorship and surveillance by authoritarian regimes through peaceful protest. Our methods focused on raising public awareness rather than malicious acts. The support it gained within the hacking community showed a shared desire to use technology to empower rather than restrict. More hackers began viewing their skills as tools for human rights and freedom.
Your operations targeted various corporations and government entities. How did you select your targets, and what did you seek to demonstrate through these actions?Our target selection prioritized influential institutions with provable misdeeds where other checks failed. We sought accountability and reforms, not anarchy. Our demonstrations showed vulnerabilities in the facade of security and control. Ultimately, we hoped to provoke internal reforms leading to greater public trust and social benefit rather than fearmongering.
Your group was noted for being 'Responsible hackers'. How did you balance civil disobedience with avoiding unnecessary harm?We constantly debated our ethical boundaries to minimize harm. Breaking unjust laws demanded care to avoid victimizing the innocent. We focused only on exposing wrongdoings directly rather than disruption. The public good we enabled was weighed against any fallout. It was a razor's edge, but responsibility meant walking it without falling.
What was the significance of your wins in the 'State of the Hack Awards', and how did it influence your group internally?More than validation, the awards recognized hacking could have a conscience. It fueled our sense of responsibility to our ideals and to leading by example for future generations. We strived to honor those accolades through ethical maturity.
Can you speak to the eventual dissolution of your group, and the lasting impact of its former members in the hacking world?As the digital world evolved, so did we. Our dissolution was not an end but a transformation—members focusing their skills on new horizons such as computer security, privacy, and digital rights. Everything has its season. Though gone, our legacy endures in those carrying technology ethics forward to this day.