This piece concerns the rise of Virtual Nations, and what they mean for business. Parts of what you will read here will chill you to your core, and parts will cheer you. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what you think either way, except for the fact that what you think will guide your response to these events. Your thoughts and opinions on the matter will not, however, prevent these and other virtual nations from rising, nor will they exert any particular influence on them.
What The Heck Is A Virtual Nation?
The internet gave us a world without borders. By their biology, people are inherently tribal; people with like interests congregate, and start to identify themselves as a unique group. Before the internet, like interests could only feasibly congregate inside the confines of existing, national borders. After the internet this is quite clearly no longer the case.
We have seen how personalities on the internet can gain real power. One need only to look at any market segment to see the very real power that the most influential bloggers in each niche wield. They did not have this power before the rise of the internet, but gained it through the net. This same mechanism works for Virtual Nations as well.
Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
She's absolutely right, but she uttered those words in the days before the internet and did not envision how easily small groups of thoughtful, committed global citizens could interconnect. Had she seen what those groups have done thus far, I think she would have been pleased.
Virtual Nations Are Small But Potent
Virtual Nations don't have populations numbering in the hundreds, or even tens of millions, and they don't need that number to exert real, tangible power. The inner circle of WikiLeaks numbered no more than half a dozen souls, and yet that Virtual Nation made world governments tremble. No one knows exactly how many members Anonymous has (which is rather the point), but you can bet it's not as large a number as you probably think it is, and yet they have, and continue to have, enormous, very real power and pressure on the world around them and around us.
So Where Does Ferguson Come Into It?
Not long ago, a black man was shot to death in a small town called Ferguson, in the state of Missouri, in a display of use of force that shocked and angered first the town, and then the nation. Riots broke out and the Virtual Nation known as Anonymous got involved, demanding that the name of the shooter be revealed, and warning to launch an all out cyber war on the city government if their demands were not met.
Their demands were ignored, and Anonymous made good on their threat. All government buildings inside the city ceased functioning. Databases were hacked and seized, and the names and addresses of members of the city police force were released. Close up photos of the police chief's house, including one that showed him sleeping in his living room chair were likewise ominously released.
This is real, tangible power, and it is being used to right perceived wrongs. Whether you agree with the spirit of what Anonymous is doing and regard them as modern day folk heroes, or you revile them as villains, the one thing you should learn from this incident and the others that will surely follow after is this; Virtual Nations exist. They are real, and they can shut you down if you wrong them, wrong your customers, or ignore them. When you next do your SWOT analysis, remember to include the potential threat from Virtual Nations.
