2014 was an interesting year for the Internet as a general community, as it showed just how far some people are willing to go when they have the mask of anonymity to hide behind. It’s been known for a while that the Internet can be a dangerous place as much as it is useful, but this seemed to be the year that truly drove that point home. Multiple celebrities got their accounts at different services hacked and subsequently had their photos released online – and the situation got so serious at some point, that the FBI had to get involved along with other authorities, and even Google are known to have taken part in the fight with a lawsuit, according to reports.
Among the affected celebrities were various famous and well-known names such as Kate Upton, Justin Verlande – who have been among the most recent targets of the hackers – as well as Jennifer Lawrence and others. The fallout can still be felt to this day, and some industry experts have been questioning whether this might not have repercussions on the way the Internet works in the near future.
Major companies targeted by the hacks are already known to be in the process of reassessing their security and tightening up loose ends – Apple have reportedly been looking into the security of iCloud, checking to ensure that no accounts have been compromised; Sony have been targeted in a slightly different way recently, leaking confidential information related to the operation of the company, so it should come as no surprise that they have also been in the process of improving their overall security.
Meanwhile, the attorneys of various celebrities have been on damage control duty, as one website after another have been racing to post the leaked materials – and were subsequently getting hit by cease & desist orders, as well as various other forms of legal action. Kate Upton’s lawyer has been reported to have been among the more active ones in this regard, and in a public statement addressed the situation and said that every violation of Upton’s privacy will be dealt with as swiftly as possible.
And yet, copies of some of the leaked materials can still be found relatively easily online, especially at websites that are known for a relatively low level of moderation of their user-submitted content. This has been part of the problem, according to experts, as it could be a sign that tighter regulations are on the way for Internet users. Of course, this is purely speculation right now, but it’s still an alarming thought that should not be ignored for too long.