Skip to main content

Jake Davis: the Scottish teenager behind LulzSec's PR operation

Jake Davis: the Scottish teenager behind LulzSec's PR operation

/

There have been many journalistic attempts to "get behind the Guy Fawkes mask," but a feature published in The Observer yesterday stands out from the crowd.

Share this story

Observer Anonymous feature
Observer Anonymous feature

There have been plenty of journalistic attempts to "get behind the Guy Fawkes mask" since Anonymous first came to prominence in the late 2000s, but a feature published in The Observer's New Review section yesterday stands out from the crowd. Based around a lengthy interview with Jake Davis — the Scottish teenager who handled LulzSec's PR using the hacktivist handle "Topiary," and who was arrested and charged in July last year — the piece provides a real insight into the emotional and personal aspects of membership in Anonymous, as well as the organization's peculiarly British bias. Living on the remote island of Yell, Davis dropped out of formal schooling at the age of 13, and says he's looking forward to "get[ting] a really good education" during his time in prison — despite living under the threat of US extradition, he seems calm and collected, and offers a refreshingly clear-headed insider perspective. Head over to The Guardian and Observer website to read the feature online.