Stock photos of hackers are hilariously bad. OpenIdeo wants you to redesign them
Cybersecurity needs a rebrand.
Do a quick Google image search for “hacker,” and you’ll find a hilarious (and hilariously inaccurate) collection of stock photos. In one example, a man in a black windbreaker is chipping away at a keyboard with a hammer and comically large nail. In another, the hacker’s face is invisible—shrouded under a hood, illuminated only by glowing red eyes. The corniness of these images has become a running joke online, but it belies the seriousness of our privacy—and the way it can be compromised.