Website Defacers - the Graffiti Artists of the Internet?

When does a Website become art? Many of us have asked ourselves this question at some point, but to no avail: there is no definitive answer. A more effective way to approach this question might be to look at it from another angle. We could ask “What constitutes “art”?” and then apply our description to particular aspects of the Internet.

For me, “art” is any form of media that sets out to -- and achieves -- an emotional reaction or response. A good definition is found in the Encyclopaedia Britannica:

Now, let’s think about this in the offline environment. We have galleries and museums filled with “art”. But in my opinion, street graffiti often meets the requirements of this definition more fully than most other “art” forms I can think of.

Graffiti in itself it is a controversial choice. But think about it: this is not only an extremely provocative medium – many people feel graffiti artists are criminals and not “artists” at all – but also that it draws very strong parallels with one area of online art that many of you may not have considered art before – Website defacing.

In fact, the link between graffiti and Website defacing represents one of the strongest parallels between ‘real world’ art and its online counterpart.

So How are Hackers "Artists"?

Think about what a graffiti artist creates: they use their chosen medium to convey a point that is often political, usually prominent, and can embody varying degrees of complexity. The graffiti artist hijacks walls next to railway lines, paints traffic bridges, tags government buildings -- and all for one purpose: to get their point across.

What I’m suggesting is that the motive, and even the result of a hacker’s work is exactly the same. Let’s look at that definition of art again, but instead of thinking about the local art gallery, let’s think about Website defacers:

The use of skill –- the individual concerned had to hack a server, which obviously takes skill

and imagination –- the creation of the message they intend to convey

in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences –- check

that can be shared with others –- around the globe!

See what I mean? The important point to bear in mind is that art doesn’t have to be visually stunning. It just has to make you think.

Examining the Parallels

The messages conveyed through the work of graffiti artists are often highly political and deliberately aggressive. So what does this have to do with hackers who deface Websites? Well let me draw your attention to an example by a hacker who goes by the name of Break Ice (WARNING: strong language).

If the hacker responsible for this had simply set up a Website to display that text, no one would have noticed. By hacking hundreds of Web servers and leaving the same message on each (some of them quite high profile) he or she has launched their message onto the reluctant masses in a way that can’t be ignored. This hacker might not see what they’re doing as art, but if you think about it, perhaps it is. It’s certainly virtual graffiti -- so if you consider one to be art, then surely you must also see the other in the same light.

Like hackers, graffiti artists find themselves in a continuing struggle to get their work seen and avoid the law. When I lived in Hull (East Yorkshire, UK), an architect friend of mine started work on a project to provide facilities for legal graffiti. He wanted to create a place where genuine graffiti artists could ply their trade without upsetting anyone or getting into trouble. It would also become a gallery for these individuals to have their work seen by a wider audience.

However, when we started talking to Hull’s artists, we began to realise that this really wasn’t the point of what they were doing. Graffiti is a very subversive art. These guys aren’t spray-painting walls for the sake of it -- they have a message they want to get across to their audience, as do many pieces of modern art. Part of their particular skill lies in throwing politics and irony in people’s faces where it really affects them the most, and when they can’t ignore it. That way the artist’s work carries more impact.

This approach doesn’t only characterise street graffiti artists – it also describes the aims of Website defacers.

There’s More...

Now, in the world of graffiti there are taggers, bombers and piecers. The difference? A tagger simply throws a word or some initials on to a wall. A bomber is an “elaborate tagger”. A bomber’s tags are more complex, multicoloured and detailed, yet they rarely carry a message. Finally, there are piecers. Piecers actually work through the night creating elaborate and well-thought-out murals.

Interestingly enough, Website defacers can also be broken down in to the three categories of taggers, bombers and piecers. Here’s one example of what I would term a tagger's work. Here’s the work of a bomber. And I’d say that the first example we looked at probably represents a piecer.

I would, however, concede that my definition of a piecer has to shift slightly when we consider the Internet. When it comes to Website defacement, it’s more about the message than the visuals, but then graffiti piecers usually have a strong message in their art too.