Nobody believes Anonymous can hack Facebook

Some hackers claiming to be affiliated with Anonymous have launched a threat against Facebook. Some say it’s an empty one. According to a YouTube video uploaded in July but covered widely this week, Anonymous is planning a full-fledged assault against the world’s largest social network on November 5, or Guy Fawkes’ Day.

(Fawkes is the guy that tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 and has become the unofficial mascot for Anonymous.) In a characteristically garbled computer voice, the video says that “Facebook has been selling information to government agencies and giving clandestine access to information security firms so that they can spy on people from all around the world” and vows to “kill Facebook.”

After the video was widely shared, one Twitter account closely associated with Anonymous quickly denied that Operation Facebook was sanctioned by Anonymous on Wednesday. “TO PRESS: MEDIAS OF THE WORLD… STOP LYING! #OpFacebook is just ANOTHER FAKE! WE DONT “KILL” THE MESSENGER. THAT’S NOT OUR STYLE,” said one tweet from AnonOps. “Dont be silly. Important things are happening in the world to deal with quirks like #OpFacebook. Lets keep our style & moral,” said another. “#OpFacebook is being organised by some Anons. This does not necessarily mean that all of #Anonymous agrees with it,” AnonOps later clarified. Other Anonymous accounts followed suit with similar statements.