Did we learn anything from Anonymous? w/ Kate Stapleton | Devconnect 2025

Continuing the publication of interviews from DevConnect in Buenos Aires, I sat down with Kate Stapleton, a former member of Anonymous and privacy advocate, now able to speak publicly after the statute of limitations expired. In this interview, Kate recounts the origins of Anonymous in early internet culture, IRC, and the Church of Scientology protests, while challenging the myth of Anonymous as a single unified movement. For safety and clarity, she does not reveal her former online handles, some of which are now controlled by other entities that are best left unnamed.

We discuss why Anonymous ultimately lost momentum and the public apathy toward mass surveillance. We connect the history of hacker culture and cypherpunk activism to today’s crypto ecosystem, including Mr. Robot and the persistence of burnout and nihilism in the space. The episode asks a central question: did we learn anything from Anonymous, and what lessons still matter today for privacy, activism, and building alternative systems.

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