DEF CON Goons
termsecurityevents
The volunteer staff who run DEF CON - identifiable by their red shirts, and the reason a conference of tens of thousands of hackers works at all. Goons handle lines, rooms, speakers, contests, safety and the moment something goes wrong, and every one of them pays their own way to be there.
The role is unpaid, invitation-earned and jealously guarded: goons are chosen from people who have already given years to the community, and departments run from A/V and Info Booth to Speaker Ops and NOC. The shouted line management is theatre with a purpose - a crowd this size moves safely because someone with authority and a voice is willing to be the villain for ten minutes. Goons also carry the culture's unwritten rules to newcomers, which is why the badge on the shirt is treated as a genuine honour rather than a job title.
Also known as: goon, red shirt, the goons, line goon