But, as any Spiderman follower knows, with great power comes great responsibility. So while we do have a right to free expression and a free press, we, as citizen do not have a right to abuse. And the freedom of expression does not constitute a free pass on lawlessness under the guise of free expression.
Some have claimed that the actions of anonymous are a form of civil disobedience. My question here is simple: if the people behind anonymous truly believe that their actions constitute acts of civil disobedience, why are they performing them anonymously?
A last question that I would throw into this mix is the one of motives. The veil of anonymity makes it easier to question the motives of the anonymous party. If it is fear of prosecution that forces you to hide, then you are not committing an act of disobedience: you are only breaking the law and being a coward. However, if you are hiding because your intents are different, then you are not only breaking the law but you are using this merely as a cover up for your true intent and that, in itself, should be enough to prosecute you with no justification for your side.