Mark Iddon - A Multiplatform Monkey

Morning all, I just wanted to do a blog post about something that has peaked my interest as it has rolled out across the internet and spilled out into the real world. I’m sure many of you have seen the ‘Anonymous’ video posted on Youtube in which a group calling themselves ‘Anonymous’ put forward their plan to dismantle the Church Of Scientology via calling on the people of the internet to unite and rally against them.

The first video has over 2 million views and has spawned quite a reaction to the ideas set forward. The Youtube video feels like a viral campaign for a movie, which is why I have kept my eye on it, thinking that maybe… just maybe this was all going to be uncovered as some clever marketing campaign. It’s all very multiplatform you see, using Youtube, crossing over onto the television news (as you can see below) and turning into real world events. Even using masks that resemble the film V for Vendetta gives the whole thing a cultish/theatricality to it that I think has sparked people’s imagination and possibly got them interested even if they don’t really have a strong opinion about Scientology at all.

Since the first video there have been 3 more official ones. The second video set up protest on 10^th Feb.

The third video set forth a code of conduct.

The fourth has been a press release trying to explain further what this is all about.

The results have been really interesting, like watching an episode of Kate Modern, with people turning up outside Scientology Churches all over the world all because the internet told them to… Actually if you listen to the voice of anonymous it seems extremely similar to Steven Hawkins. Hmm, interesting.