Free Hacker Subculture Critical Thinking Sample

The hacker subculture can be defined as a group of people who share similar values and ethics that are clearly defined in the ethics and norms of hackers. The hacker subculture considers it their duty to share open source code and information to help other hackers gain knowledge of computer, its functions and how to manipulate and hack through various sources. Hackers are mainly categorized as young people who want to break the norms and control the virtual web in order to rebel against the norms and propose the insurgent qualities of youth. The identity of a subculture of hacker group is developed through resisting the authority, such as oppression while using world wide web or parental control means. The sharing of information, collaboration and coordination have helped the hackers within a subculture to gain considerable knowledge of how the hacking system functions and how to identify gaps to exploit the computer functions which are beyond the understanding of a general home user (PBS, 2014).
One of the main value systems of hackers is that everyone should have direct access to free information so that hackers can fix the problem, improvise the issue and renovate the hacking system. As hackers are continually attacking and reacting to the mainstream culture, this culture is also reacting back towards these hackers. The increase in cyber attacks has initiated the companies to provide their users with an increased security system which in turn requires the hacking to adapt to changing requirement and identify security gaps. The hackers are identified as mysterious people who are deemed as a devil with a damaged image. Most of the hackers when realize that their actions have impermissible, and then worked for law enforcement agencies which are another threat to current hacker subculture (PBS, 2001).

References

Video Excerpt from Frontline Video Hackers (2014) “Hacking into an ordinary home” PBS Frontline http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/etc/video.html
Interview with Robert D. Steele (2001) Who are Hackers, PBS Frontline, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/interviews/steele.html