Anonymous says it's Outing 1,000 Prominent KKK Members

Anonymous is no stranger to risky internet activism, and its latest campaign is no exception to the rule. The hacking-focused collective claims that it's outing "up to" 1,000 people who are either Ku Klux Klan members or "close associates" of KKK factions. It says it'll reveal all on November 5th, but an early data leak already purports to name-and-shame mayors, members of Congress and police officers (including cops in Ferguson, Missouri). If true, the details would potentially wreck more than a few careers -- especially those of people who use roundabout methods to support the Klan while keeping their racist connections a secret.

Whether or not the information is accurate is another matter. Multiple politicians identified in the reported leak have denied any links to the KKK, and there's little to verify these claims beyond Anonymous' say-so. As such, we'd take the initial info dump with a grain of salt. While it'd be easy for targets to deny any KKK affiliations, there's also a risk that the leak could damage the reputations of innocent people.