DEF CON's military alignment sparks backlash as hacker conference partners with NSA and authoritarian states
By
OgsyedIE
Master baker tier. Every paragraph earns its place on the tray.
Summary
DEF CON, once a counterculture hacker conference, has increasingly aligned itself with U.S. military and authoritarian regimes, culminating in a fireside chat between founder Jeff Moss and former NSA director Paul Nakasone. The event featured the ejection of activist Jeremy Hammond (who shouted "Free Palestine!") and highlighted the conference's partnerships with Bahrain and Singapore. This shift has alienated many longtime hackers who view it as a betrayal of the community's anti-establishment roots.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledDEF CON founder Jeff 'Dark Tangent' Moss downing a jello shot and shouting 'Go Army' at the end of his fireside chat with former National Security Agency director Paul M. Nakasone
The previously imprisoned hacktivist Jeremy Hammond was ejected from the conference shortly afterward, yelling 'Free Palestine!'
DEF CON has alienated many hackers by officially aligning its geopolitics with those of the U.S. military and announcing partnerships with the authoritarian countries of Bahrain and Singapore.
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