Internet Activists Target Scientology

Scientology is increasingly under attack on the Internet, where critics and dropouts are undermining the church's traditionally tight control of its public image, reports the LA Times. Three ex-Scientologists, including the niece of the church's head, launched ExScientologyKids.com last week. Its motto: "We were born. We grew up. We escaped."

A group of hackers and activists called Anonymous, incensed by the church's effort to remove a Tom Cruise pro-Scientology video from the Internet, picketed Scientology locations around the globe last month and has staged cyber-attacks on church websites. The church calls members of Anonymous "cyber-terrorists"  and says they're spreading "religious hatred and bigotry." (More Scientology stories.)