By Dan Satherley
Anonymous, the hacker collective best known for its online pranks and occasionally, activism, has apparently decided to enter the social networking market.
The move comes after Google booted the 'Your Anon News' account off its network, Google+, for violating its "community standards".
"This will be your future," a flier posted on its website anonplus.com reads. "This will be our future. Today we welcome you to begin anew… to watch this glorious incipience happenk… one upon which you will never turn your back on.
"Welcome to the revolution – a new social network where there is no fear… of censorship… of blackout… nor of holding back.
"Life is what you make it – and we are making it."
The site at this stage is just an old-school forum, where people can make suggestions on what the network should be and offer their services.
Anonymous – or at least, someone posing as Anonymous – says that the site is not just for hackers and people associating with the group: "One thing i would like to point out that this project is for ALL tpeople not just anonymous, this idea is a presstorm idea and only takes the name anon because of the Anonymity of the social network (sic)."
But some internet commenters on tech news site Slashdot have suggested the site is a 'honeypot', run by law enforcement authorities to attract hackers and others involved in illegal online activity so they can gather information and stay a step ahead of them.
"Don't trust Google and Facebook with your personal information! Store it with Anonymous instead!" wrote user Jeian.
"We're anonymous, let's make a website that keep records of us. Wait, what?" wrote Tukz.
Apart from retweeting a message from the Your Anon News Twitter account, there has been no acknowledgement from Anonymous whether the site is genuine or a trap.
Google+ at this stage does not allow accounts representing groups or anonymous individuals, requiring people to use their real names. It has rocketed to over 10 million users in only a few weeks of operation.
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