Cyberterrorism derails movie

More information now on a hacking attack that’s prevented a comedy film from being released in Canada and the U.S.

The American government is now calling the attack on Sony Pictures “a serious national security matter”, but stopped short of naming who is behind it. However, government sources have said North Korea is responsible.

Wednesday, Sony Pictures decided to cancel the release of ‘The Interview’, a move that was criticized by many.

Hollywood actors like Rob Lowe and Ben Stiller say that America has caved in to the hackers and that this response signals a victory for them. And the former assistant secretary of U.S. Homeland Security says the Sony hack is a form of extortion, and backing down is not one of the ways you deal with it. Sony Pictures decided the show would not go on after volumes of data were hacked from company computers and released to the public. This was followed by threats invoking memories of 911 against theatres planning to screen the film.

It’s plot revolves around the assassination of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un. Experts say if North Korea is behind the Sony hack, no one can say they weren’t warned. No country would appreciate a movie about assassinating its leader, especially North Korea which is home to the world’s most intense cult of personality where even a hint of criticism can mean years in prison.

Back in June, North Korea warned there would be severe repercussions for anyone involved in the film. As mentioned, the U.S. is treating this cyber-attack on Sony as a “serious national security matter”. There is now an intensive investigation being led by the FBI and other agencies.

Josh Earnest is White House Press Secretary: “As the members of the national security team meet to discuss this matter, they are considering a range of options. “They would be mindful of the fact that we need a proportional response and also mindful of the fact that sophisticated actors when they carry out actions like this are often times, they’re not always, but often seeking to provoke a response from the United States of America. They may believe that a response from us in one fashion or another would be advantageous to them.”

Republican Senator John McCain: “It should be a wake-up call that a country like North Korea has this kind of capability. Imagine the capability they have to disrupt other aspects of American life.”

Communications Professor Alex Sevigny from McMaster University says the Sony hack is clearly very different than cyber-activism which is used to encourage citizen movements and get the message out to a large audience. Rather, this is cyberterrorism and it could have a ripple effect: “The fact that Sony validated this by pulling the film ensures that this is the start of something bigger. Because it worked. As soon as anything works, you are going to have copycats and you’re going to have people saying that this was an effective means of getting our point across and maybe we should try it too. I think Sony sort of let the cat out of the bag by validating the claims and caving pulling the film.”

Some theatres responded to the decision not to show ‘The Interview’ by planning a screening of ‘Team America – World Police’ but those theatres say Paramount Pictures is blocking that idea too.

According to reports, Paramount Pictures is ordering U.S. theatres not to screen ‘Team America’, the 2004 comedy that centres on an anti-terror group that aims to save the world from North Korea’s former leader Kim Jong-il. So far, there has been no comment from Paramount.

Despite Sony’s decision to pull the movie, the company says it stands by its filmmakers and their right to free expression, and it is extremely disappointed in this outcome. Sony is looking at a loss of upwards of 50 million dollars in theatrical revenues.