Anarchist tech group braces in case it’s next on Trump’s target list
The article discusses concerns over potential government investigations into anarchist-linked web hosting services. The No gods No Masters Network, which hosts radical sites like the Anarchist Federation, reported receiving a federal subpoena via Google and indicated it would notify users if it was compromised by government actions. Previously, the group issued a notice about a court order seeking FBI records related to the Federation. Despite non-responses from Google and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, anarchist circles fear increased scrutiny following sanctions against the Italy-based Autistici/Inventati Collective, which provided privacy-focused hosting but will soon cease operations due to funding restrictions. The No Gods No Masters Network, which hosts anarchist blogs such as “it’s Going Down,” emphasizes its commitment to lawful content-sharing and warns against illegal activities that could jeopardize its operations. The article highlights the broader context of government efforts to curb ideological violence by targeting digital infrastructure, with the U.S. government stating it aims to combat extremism and protect national security through such measures.
A web hosting service linked to anarchists says it is taking precautions over signs that it may be under a federal investigation.
The Department of Justice sent a subpoena to Google for information on the No Gods No Masters Network, which hosts “Anarchist Federation” and other radical sites, the network claimed in an Aug. 17 post purportedly showing an FBI subpoena. The No Gods No Masters Network also said Sunday it would let users know in the future whether it was “compromised” by the government through a regularly updated notice on its website.
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The network initially issued a July notice claiming that the internet service provider Cloudflare had notified the group of a Kentucky federal court order seeking records about the Anarchist Federation from the FBI.
“So far, we still don’t know what we are being accused of, if anything, but we are prepared for any scenario and we’re not going anywhere,” the network said in the Aug. 17 update.
Google and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s requests for comment.
Online anarchist circles have expressed concern over increasing government scrutiny after the U.S. sanctioned the Italy-based Autistici/Inventati Collective as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.” The group provided digital programs for anonymous actors promoting or boasting about illegal activity in the U.S., but starting Sept. 25, it will no longer be able to receive funding or provide its services.
The No Gods No Masters Network was alarmed at the sanctions because it offers similar privacy-focused web hosting as the A/I Collective, it said Friday. The network urgently warns clients against behavior that could put it in legal jeopardy, unlike the A/I Collective, which began as a hacking group and publicly brags about concealing users’ data from investigators.
“While we are dedicated to safeguarding your right to express yourself, we cannot provide a magical solution that allows illegal activities without consequences,” a No Gods No Masters Network explainer page says. “Engaging in blatantly illegal actions increases the likelihood of receiving complaints and potential lawsuits, prompting us to take appropriate measures.”
Anarchist Federation also professes a commitment to complying with legal takedown requests regarding its content. The site says it automatically aggregates and publishes content from countless sources on far-left issues without necessarily endorsing each post.
The No Gods No Masters Network also hosted “It’s Going Down,” an anarchist blog that announced it would shut down in October over the “dire” threat posed by President Donald Trump’s national security agenda. It’s Going Down became part of a DOJ complaint in 2020 after someone posted a “claim of responsibility” for a train sabotage attempt in Washington State that led to convictions of two defendants.
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Trump’s sanctions against the A/I Collective show the government is stopping leftist political violence through avenues previously ignored, such as targeting “digital infrastructure,” the State Department said Wednesday.
“There will be no refuge for violent extremists who wage war on our civilization and plot to undermine law and order, destroy critical infrastructure, assault political opponents, or conceal their crimes from authorities,” the agency said. “We will use all the tools and authorities at our disposal to fight terrorism and protect our way of life.”
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