with International —Reader #3 Pirate Parties Leaderless Politics Colophon in collaboration with New World Summit New World Academy Reader #3: [email protected] Leaderless Leaderless Politics www.newworldsummit.eu

Editor: New World Academy Jonas Staal in dialogue with Research, Development, Politics and Realization Team: Şeyma Bayram (BAK), Younes Associate Editor: Bouadi (NWS), Jan de Bruin Şeyma Bayram (NWS), Vincent W.J. van Gerven Oei (NWS), Maria Hlavajova Coordinator & Proof Reader: (BAK), Robert Kluijver (NWS), Gwen Parry Paul Kuipers (NWS), Renée In der Maur (NWS), Arjan van Meeuw- Design: en (BAK), Kasper Oostergetel Remco van Bladel, Amsterdam (NWS), Sjoerd Oudman (NWS), in collaboration with Gwen Parry (BAK), Merel Som- Andrea Spikker horst (BAK), Jonas Staal (NWS), and Ivo Verburg (BAK) Lithography and Printing: Drukkerij Raddraaier, Amsterdam Cover Images: Various logos used by interna- ISBN: 978-90-77288-20-7 tional Pirate Parties, all of which are in the . All New World Academy Reader #3: Every effort has been made to images provided by NWS. obtain permission for images. We apologize for any NWA has been made financially inadvertent omissions and pledge possible by Fentener van Vliss- to correct them in future editions. ingen Fonds, Utrecht; K.F. Hein The texts in this reader are Fonds, Utrecht; and Mondriaan published according to individual Fonds, Amsterdam. agreements with the authors, no part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publishers.

© 2013 the artists, authors, BAK, and New World Academy

Published by: BAK, basis voor actuele kunst Postbus 19288 NL–3501 DG Utrecht T +31 (0)30 2316125 [email protected] www.bak-utrecht.nl Table of Contents

7 Maria Hlavajova 105 Willem van Weelden Foreword WikiLeaks as an Editorial Problem: A 13 Jonas Staal Conversation with Introduction Geert Lovink and Merijn Oudenampsen 21 European Pirate Parties 129 Dirk Poot Interviewed The Uppsala by Jonas Staal Declaration Will Do Away With 29 Parliament Lessons from : the people can have the power

37 Dirk Poot We Have Lost Control of Our Democracies

45 Becky Hogge The Freedom Cloud

59 Metahaven Captives of the Cloud: Part I

81 Heath Bunting The Status Project

85 Matt Mason The Pirate’s Dilemma Foreword

Maria Hlavajova 8–9 - ) ------NWA New New ( , the third third , the , this informal , this informal Towards a Towards series committed series New World Academy New World has been brought to life through has been to through brought life Leaderless Politics , the respective curricula of which of which , the respective curricula Collective Struggle of Refugees: Lost. and New World Academy Reader Academy World New Leaderless Politics As a supplement to the workshop and series of projects to the workshop As a supplement initiated the title under of selection an introduction of texts to the democratic offers of the international Partiesimperatives Pirate and the im of art the future pro plications hold for that their programs of our political,duction. failures social, As the and cultural, economic us deeper into drive systems a state of perma insecurity—economicnent combined and otherwise, with inequalityrampant and impending ecological disaster—we with faced before, ever than perhaps urgently are, more task the crucial of being, and ways of imagining alternative to the exploration of the role and potential and of the role to exploration the of art a within variety of political Initiated world. across the struggles by the artist Jonas Staal and established in collaboration with BAK, basis voor actuele kunst, exchanges activism cultural that fosters is an academy for between representatives of concrete political organiza tions, artist, students, and so as to stimulate new critical alliances between the fields of artpolitics. and progressive intensive workshop—and itsEach accompanying assembly of artists, students, activists, thoughts, and artworks—de parts a concrete example of the symbolic and practi from cal efficacy of art in negotiating changes in contemporary the sessions Following politics society. and Culture People’s In Between. Together been in close collaborationhave organized with the cul of the of the National Democratic Movement workers tural the Here, Are We and the collective of refugees Philippines session dialoguea rich between Staal and the open-source advo cates of the international Pirate Parties. It is with great excitement that we present you with with you present we that excitement Itgreat is with Leaderless #3: Reader Politics Academy World the in reader acting, together. The leaderless and horizontal structure of the international Pirate Parties offers one such distinct and compelling articulation of the democratic project. Insisting on a variety of critical issues pertaining to the digital age, including but not limited to the desire for free and open circulation of knowledge, and participa- tion through liquid feedback, government , , network neutrality, and the demand for users’ privacy, the initiatives of the Pirate Parties bring with them a myriad of prospects with far-reaching impact—not only on the world of art, but on the world at large. I wish to take this opportunity to thank all contribu- tors to this project: the participating artists, students, writers, advocates of and leaderless politics, my colleagues at BAK for their enormous efforts to make the realization of this project possible, and our financial partners. Last but not least, I would like to thank the artist Jonas Staal for an inspiring and enriching collaboration through which we all have learned what art can become. Having concluded the last of the three inaugural work- shops of NWA, I am delighted that the project will continue as a long-term undertaking, finding its temporary home in various corners of the world—and hopefully occasionally returning to its co-establishing base at BAK.

Maria Hlavajova is artistic director of BAK, basis voor actuele kunst. Introduction

Jonas Staal 14–15 - - - - - , defined by European , definedEuropean by for a larger political a larger and cultural for [Pirate Bureau], a Swedish organi a Swedish Bureau], [Pirate The Uppsala Declaration nom de guerre nom de guerre Piratbyrån Combining a curious mixture of revolutionary social of revolutionary Combining a curious mixture After the founding of the first Pirate in of the first the founding After of the pirate—aThe figure stateless the subject—reflects where the acquisition and circulation of knowledge could the acquisition of knowledge where and circulation itsemancipatory fulfill potentialreplace traditional and the parties Liquid Democracy, Through politics altogether. that the process of voting becomeclaim could and should topermanent, citizens agency giving full control and shape parlia centralized within a singular longer government—no As ment, itself. the public domain of the but within of a the international the defenders Pirate Parties are such, radical democracy. direct century twenty-first ist, anarchist, and libertarian principles, the international zation opposed that open culture in which the manner prosecuted by authori were Bay The Pirate like platforms oppositionties their for existing For copyright laws. toward “pirate” and concept of the the figure Bureau, the Pirate became the monopolies power fields of in the that challenges project the Internet. specifically, and more economy, governance, parties other in 2006, began to Eu appear throughout of open-source its technology, defense rope and followed approximately are there Today and information. culture, party Parties Each Pirate active the worldwide. 70 follows principles of articulates which main the three Pirate Parties in 2009, of copyright, of :concerns reform reform of absolute and the guarantee for privacy of law, statecitizens from and corporate interests. principles of internationalism, similar to that the the way act has of plundering been of a in common redefined terms the which the sea through replaces Internet The culture. vessel navigates: a vast, (potentially) open space, pirate’s The history of the international of the Parties Pirate can history The be traced back to the 16–17 ------the the The The to host The Sta NWA , which touches, which upon the The Pirate’s Dilemma The Pirate’s examines the impact of cloud examines the impact of cloud Liquid Democracy Will Do Away Liquid Do Away Democracy Will , I want to, I want thank the generosity of the Lessons Iceland: from the people can —democracy. tracesthe importance software in of free , provides an in-depth, provides account Pirate of the NWA , focusing particularly of on the project and Geert Lovink Oudenampsen and Merijn liquid On behalf of with Parliament political focusing specifiParties’ and structure, programs impact cally on Liquid Democracy and the on it could have traditional modes of governing. It is an honor for contributors to this reader. and its politicalthis movement representa and cultural tives, all of whom I believe will be able to engage partici define and we which pants the means through to rethink disseminate as part culture of the internationalist project direct— for new definitions of culture, ownership, and radical and innova ownership, new definitions of culture, the open-source movement. resulted from tionthat have Pirate of the Icelandic spokesperson Birgitta Jónsdóttir, Media Initiative Modern Icelandic of the Party, cofounder speaks organiza of her WikiLeaks collaborator, (IMI), and initiatives in tions’ have the power constitutionrewriting the Icelandic after the collectively economic Hogge’s collapse Becky in 2008. country’s Freedom Cloud Spring, the Arab including social worldwide, movements and Amsterdam-based design collective Metahaven’s Captives Partthe of Cloud: I computing and surveil on privacy and international law class of exploration a brief Bunting offers lance. Heath struggle in the age of mass administration in tus Project on Weelden van engage in a discussion with Willem as an Editorial Problem WikiLeaks of the open-source Fi foundations initiatives worldwide. interview, Dirk Poot’s nally, consequences for civil civil consequences for Matt Mason, worldwide. by somewho to is considered be historian the of the discusses movement, Pirate in ------) , exam NWA ( The Uppsala Decla New World Academy Academy New World movement. The conceptof the leaderless We Have Lost Control Have of Our Democracies We lays out the main principles of the European Pirate out the main principles of the European lays This second of reader One of the most unique characteristicsOne of the mostthe interna unique of lecture, potentialines the emancipatory Democracy in the of Liquid has which held severe so-called on Terror, of the face War to the concept of open-source culture. ration Parties and Dutch Pirate Party Dirk Poot’s spokesperson tive politics as revolution. site a a permanent for in relation the concept movement of a leaderless explores capable questioning of continuously principles. its own In as the ul manifest would parliament a Liquid Democracy, timate stateless space, representa and limitless replacing leader embodies and it is structure, a centralized power that pirates model of idolatry hierarchical this precisely believe lead to cri corruption. In essence, the movement tiques the concept itself of power a system by demanding tional Pirate Parties—and perhaps point their greatest of social their recent movements—is distinction other, from to claim be a large-scale public assemblies, rather than the aristocraticlarge-scale public assemblies, rather of partyrule politics. protests, the worldwide Occupy movement, and the Gezi protests, the worldwide protests in Park also come the to mind, and like international Pirate Parties, attempt they agency to to give even notices strains of the squatter movement’s idea of notices of the squatter strains even movement’s international within the a common Pirate Parties’ culture be considered the even might and the hacker demands, Indignados The Spanish of the squatter. online equivalent as , which famously took the websites down famously which as Anonymous, of the also and Visa, but by government as WikiLeaks. One such organizations whistleblower Pirate Parties have developed in parallel to developed in parallel PartiesPirate variety a have of Online, century. social the twenty-first of movements accompanied are they by digital initiatives such guerilla Last but not least, I would like to thank Maria Hlavajova and her team at BAK—Arjan van Meeuwen, Gwen Parry, Merel Somhorst, and Ivo Verburg—for their incredible com- mitment in co-establishing New World Academy. Special gratitude goes out to BAK’s editor, Şeyma Bayram, for her tireless and precise work. When this collaboration first be- gan, BAK posed the question, “What if democracy was not a show?” The demand of the international Pirate Parties to shape the complex space of the Internet as our future, open-source parliament is as daring as it is concrete a proposition. Not a show, but a contemporary digital parlia- ment as the people’s theater. It is my hope that this reader will contribute to the exploration of the role that art and culture will have in this sphere of radical commons.

Jonas Staal (born 1981) is a Rotterdam-based artist whose works include interventions in public space, exhibitions, lectures, and publications that interrogate the relationship between art, democracy, ideology, politics, and propaganda. The Uppsala Declaration

European Pirate Parties 22–23 - - - - Parliament writes copyright law, not the lobby writes Parliament law, copyright No media levies or hardware Derivative permitted always works Sharply reducedSharply monopoly term Copyright is commercial Copyright  I. II. III.  IV.  IV. V.  Copyright Copyright cannot claim the right to accept or reject the free exchange the right to exchange cannot claim accept the free or reject of media and information. using from consumers prevent that measures Technical so-called digital permitted in ways culture by law, rights (DRM) technologies,management outlawed. are prohibited normally works Instead derivative of having use exceptions, our under fair in quiteexcept ambiguous Policy land cultural of touch out with today’s is well Copyright scape. particu into It an obstacle has evolved to creativity, need at least these changes We creativity. grassroots larly to copyright law: Local usu law activity. commercial regulates Copyright only activity”“commercial detail.sufficient in defines Non- ally activity regulated by copyrightcommercial law. never is Copyright is a limited monopoly that expires commercial The exact is determined term within one generation. well by the local pirate party. to levies No compensate be copying permitted, should for and the like, scholarships government for allow but we ap This unilateral do not deem compensatory. we which toproach compensation that the copyright lobby ensures 24–25 ------Using Sweden as a template for numbers—presuming as a template numbers—presuming Using Sweden for Votes Strategy Strategy Votes catalyzing in our support force base the key, Therefore, they partake.they European similar across other that these are numbers approximately are countries Pirate Parties—there with needed votes are students. university 100,000 300,000 us tofor enter into Parliament. the European This means need of the votes percent of the uni would that we 33 There number. versity students, is not a realistic which as all across universities must regard we fore, activists for and ambassadors, who in recruiting grounds are example, there additional For will recruit turn voters. out fear of government surveillance. In order to this extend In order surveillance. of government fear out right to the anonymity in society, toright information an secrecycommunicationcor of must be secured. Therefore, encompass all digital should respondence communication. It European is the collectiveof the gathered consensus founded newly of a the scarce that with resources leaders must be those focused resources on contender party, voter Statisticala well-identified demographic. data that election participationshows has been on a continual vot past the for decade first-time downslope and a half for same time, while at the support core the our issues ers, for data This age range. is in the 18–30 voters comesfrom supported demographics. membership by from experience has been students. university Previous participated Partieselections Pirate have where demon at technical strong universi unusually strate are that we need toties—up to 10 times We the national average. scope this ideal broaden are to Universities all universities. a concentrated with peo are ground in that they recruiting passionate generally about the causesple who are in which - - - - A democratic society state needs a transparent and on life, including patents including on life, on seeds Patents and on genes, Civil Rights We demand an initiative for a European study on the study an initiative a European demand for We Pharmaceutical patents not ethical concerns, many raise Patents Patents non-transparent citizens. be The citizens should able to non-transparent with opinions their express and to gather formulate freely from the arbitrary exercise of authority. The EU holds an The EU holds an of authority. exercise the arbitrary from important responsibility light on violations shedding in against rights civil in member states. transparent government, speedy trial, and free government, and fair transparent bedom of speech respected. always and should In this day the legal protectionage to it is crucial of citizens preserve The EU and its member states to the high adhere should as principles such Therefore, est standards democracy. of and software patents not be should allowed. economic impact of pharmaceutical patents, compared to and on research, possible other financing drug for systems system. toalternatives the current funded health care systems in the member states systems in funded health care of the Union. European least to relation in people countries. are in developing They behind increasing costs publicly also force driving the for The patent system of today has lost touch with its original intentions has and developed into something that is harm toful areas. innovation in many and economic progress of a book.” copyright, derivative works are always permitted, always with are copyright, works derivative exceptionsto with specifically this law in enumerated translations interpretation—e.g., for room minimal “direct 26–27 -

Subsidiarity Transparency Accountability This declaration was drafted by the European Pirate Parties Pirate during a European the This declaration was drafted by Parties Pirate International of in Uppsala, Sweden. 2009 conference the original text. of edited This is a slightly version While working with different issues in the EU, we will in the EU, issues different with While working should be strengthened, so that power is moved out of the be so is moved out of the that power should strengthened, back out into and brought the open. backrooms [2009] movement is a grassroots movement that builds uponbuilds that movement a grassroots is movement activists many of together who work and the involvement This collective way technology. utilize information modern can use that we will be toof working a strength our benefit once elected. be the believe should that we mind the principles in keep starsguiding of the EU itself: beDecisions should taken as close to the citizens as pos that cannot be handle issues only sible. EU should The states member handled by the individual themselves. The decision-making process in the EU today in a works for both media difficult and ordinary it very that makes way is happeningcitizens what to and take follow part in the debate.need to situationThis work has to We be improved. and openness. transparency more towards institution only is the in Brussels Parliament The European elected of parliament that is directly The role by the voters. ------When we are approached by lobbyists parties and other are we When Inside the group, we will do our utmost we effort Inside the group, to per Strategy Strategy Parliament European To accomplish need we this, to these ambassa supply To In other words, the key is to supply political is to supply key the passion words, In other The decision-making process in the EU is very complex, The decision-making process is very in the EU to stayand in order we is happening, on what informed The Pirate will needsupport the community. of the Internet fer them to the relevant person(s) in our group and encour in our group person(s) to them the relevant fer This will allow their caseage to them to make him or her. of highest priority us.us to that are the issues for focus on reason not to. will re we lie outside that on issues of the Pirate platform, tion on the issues that fall within our political In tion that fall on the issues platform. listen to on all other the advice of the group we’ll return, strong have unless we vote and issues, with the group to is closest our cause, to to group which us, and determine group. join that then to of the group join our posi members the other suade In the European Parliament, it is the party Parliament, In the European that are groups in obtainingthe key influence. Once elected,we will dis be that might with the groups of interest cuss our concerns dors with confidence, rhetoric, and where with confidence, rhetoric,possible,dors and where political materials to distribute. This is a logistical that challenge needs to Pirate Party. be European individual met by each vote at all, and encourage them to them vote become at all, and encourage recruiting am in the is no identified difference There bassadors in turn. receive. issues supportdegree of that each of our different which to draw additional towhich supporters. draw about to people the issues not young otherwise who might another 125,000 18-year-olds who have not yet entered entered yet not have who 18-year-olds 125,000 another at universies. friends have who usually but university, from social and circles relatives, friends, are there Thus, Lessons from Iceland: the people can have the power

Birgitta Jónsdóttir 30–31 - - - As early progress early since collapseAs the banking in Iceland demonstrates, the twenty-first will century be the century of the commonpeople, us. of We had the first Revolution aftertroubles the financial had the first We If the 99 percent want to reclaim our power, our socie our power, to want reclaim If the 99 percent souls, so nationThe Icelandic consists 311,000 of only the ideal country for experimenting with new solutions for the ideal country agree. of transformation—I during an era corruption, and to Due of 2008. of transparency, a lack financial meltdownnepotism, largest had Iceland the third The Icelandic and it shook us profoundly. in human history, had into we placed which people that everything realized us. during theour trust had One of the demands failed in gettingprotests that resulted that followed—and rid of and the head of bank the central manager, the government, would get rewritewe to ourthe financial authority—was that The Dutch minister of internal affairs said at a speech dur The Dutch affairs ministerinternal of a like is this year: Day “lawmaking Press Free ing World in it.” what is put wants to know sausage, really no one He of Information the Freedom to expensive how was referring really shouldn’t suggesting is, and that journalists (FOIA) Act so governmental His words be much for information. asking too in our democracies: exposed problems one of the core people about care many what goes don’t into the sausage, parliamentarians. the so-callednot even lawmakers—the toties, have start we An important somewhere. step first is to the ties sever between the corporations and the state and transparent more by making the process of lawmaking or contribute. to who cares know accessible everyone for sausage; the monop what is in that law to have know We of the corporateoly lobbyist has to especially it end, when comes banking to regulating and the Internet. laws body small bureaucratic and can move a relatively have we than most countries. seen as Iceland have Many quicker 32–33 - - - [Better Reykjavík], please visit the [Better Reykjavík], kjavík kjavík website at https://betrireykjavik.is. project’s - Betri Rey Every month, the city council is required Every 2 From conversations I have had with people Occupy I have conversations from From The capital de a direct has launched city of Reykjavík London, it is clear that we are all thinking along the same London, are that we it is clear education, down—banking, systems are health, lines. All social, political. most The logical action be would to start a new system based than consumerism, other on values strong, We are and self-destruction. profit maximizes which living are We few. are they many, are we ours: is the power in times of crisis. Let this time, it is the only us embrace for can abouttime change be brought by the masses. that real to note and processsuggestions the top that appear five in step a similar system The next is to implement the forum. in the parliament, and the logical step after that is to ef fectuate the same system in the ministries. national registry. We then elected then people 25 to translate We national registry. our vision The new into words. the in is now parliament. Itwill be up toto a percent the 99 call for national vote on it, know the parliament will so in that we suit. the nationexactly what follow wants and can then If the constitution eve almostpasses,achieved will have we set was written out to we Our agenda do. rything various on the high north democracy is direct of our open platforms; the toolspolitical Having do. we for compass in everything to find have We however. democracy is not enough, direct to the public to participateways inspire in cocreating the be to This can only want by live. done reality they in which local. the people democracy more Then, making direct will needWe don’t bigger impact the direct of their efforts.feel need we to so downsize them that on the contrary, systems; so can shape them. us and we truly can serve they truly can suggestions submit everyone mocracy platform, where tointo be a community about like would they things forum done in the city. democracy-building initiative, initiative, democracy-building For more information regarding the regarding information more For 2. - - - March 2011, online at: 2011, http://stjornlagarad. March is/other_files/stjornlagarad/Frumvarp- enska.pdf. - The foundation for the constitution for The foundation 1 social par excellence. Once it agreement meaning the 99 percent, 99 the meaning the politicians not the We Many great things have occurred in Iceland since occurred in Iceland our things have great Many As an activist, web developer, and poet, I had never As an activist, developer, web

the people and provide us with the proper toolsthe people us with the proper and provide to re thosestrain in power. people the randomly-selected from was created by 1,000 important what kind of society of measure people want to in. It is live is passed, our new constitution will to power bring more days of shock in 2008. Our constitution in 2008. of shock days has been rewrit ten by the people, the people. for A constitution an is such experts; we were just ordinary people who had and enough just ordinary experts; were we the who needed both to power within, and outside have of, obtained of system. We of the vote 7 percent and the four into us entered the belly of the beast. one should remain in parliament longer than eight years years than eight in parliament longer remain one should if our goals dissolve had not would and that our movement no had no money, We been within eight years. achieved we did not define ourselves as left or right but around an as left or right but around did not define ourselves we and transparency, basedagenda on democratic reform, no that vowed bailing out the people, not the banks. We officially establishedofficially weeks eight prior to the ourselves elections, based and we on horizontality our structure and but rotating had no leaders, consensus. spokespeople; We partwas bound That of a political to dur change party. ing those exceptional times, I helped during which to grassroots various the create a political from movement of the crisis. We that had in the wake sprung movements for a national referendum and a dissolution and of parliament. a national referendum for of being a politician,dreamt wanted to nor had I ever be constitution. should we was that demand us. Another hadwho failed democratic tools, real as beinghave such to able call directly

garáð, “A Proposal for a new Constitution a new for Proposal “A garáð, drafted Iceland,” 24 of the Republic for The Constitutional Stjórnla Council of 1. Birgitta Jónsdóttir (born 1967) is a poetician, activist in the Icelandic Parliament for the Pirate Party, and chairperson of the Icelandic Mod- ern Media Institute, specializing in twenty-first century lawmaking with a focus on direct democracy, and expression, and digital privacy. This is an edited version of her article that first appeared in on 15 November 2011. The article can be ac- cessed online at: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/ nov/15/lessons-from-iceland-people-power and is reprinted in this reader with the permission of the author. We Have Lost Control of Our Democracies

Dirk Poot 38–39 - - - - - 2 Buildings like like Buildings 1 erlands. “Witch tests” were commonly commonly were erlands. “Witch tests” staged houses and the test in in weigh the alleged weighing witch against volved a set weight. less than a set weighed If she guilty. was considered weight, she - Since 9/11, we’ve seen in the Act the birth of the Patriot we’ve Since 9/11, We, the Pirate Party, believe that political leaders are believe that political are leaders the Pirate Party, We, and fears developed many have we As a human society, and fears different held many historically have So, we and hearing of up in the 1970s growing I remember there were planes hijacked all over the world. But it’s only only it’s But the world. all over hijacked planes were there since the September 11 attacks into entered a that we’ve that in the midst feel global panic And we about terrorism. to be ourselves allowed cheated out of this panic, have we rights. democraticof many and civil United also seen the establishment States. of the We’ve I’d like to begin like leader” “party that by saying am I is what I’d called because the Dutch of political tradition. the But al So, revolution. leaderless in a believes PartyPirate in fact the elec for made spokesperson me their have though they tions, pirates. other I am essentially among many a pirate our society that plague the cause of the problems of many of democratic substance lack today—the see that we in For instance, for of law. of the rule and the lack society, “political with the term to do away like this reason, we’d leader” altogether. of dealing with thoseways different demonstrated many all of the de will exorcise we now from days Two fears. mons in our society lighting by fireworks. today been in used our soci are have the one we to guard into and thrown weighed here ety witches, who were from innocent. proven were they drowned If they the water. ways. different in many against them ourselves guarded of past is not a phenomenon ages. of terrorism And the fear was the 1972 and schoolstrains being There hijacked. attack example, and for games in Munich, on the Olympic the New Year. Year. the New a seventeenth- House), (Weigh in De Waag the Neth century building in Leiden, This lecture was delivered two days before before days two was delivered This lecture Summit took place The second World New 1. 2. 40–41 - - - - - sion of privacy under the Patriot Act. Patriot the under privacy sion of is a signed on 1 October 2011, (ACTA), multinational global treaty that promotes rights enforcement. body It governing aims to a new create international law. outside current of The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement Agreement The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade 6. - - , which sparked a massive debate and large online online a massive debate sparked , which and large 6 Recall the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement Agreement Anti-CounterfeitingRecall the Trade that parliaments fact lies in the that the problem feel We The Pirate Party a political is striving for In revolution. doing so, we feel that we need to step away from the out need that we feel to from doing so, we step away Representa dated notion of a representative democracy. because a tive democracy used are to we be a necessity, have didn’t of 16 million peoplecountry who previously But the ability communicate to rapidly another. with one tions rights animal and activists beingtargeted are by by websites raided sharing File are laws. anti-terrorist units, too, and Occupybeing protesters, anti-terrorist are Since these laws. laws prosecuted anti-terrorist through takenhave witnessedrapid definitional effect,we have a believe that to. We apply of whom theseexpansion laws consequences. process with dangerous risky this is very (ACTA) protest. Commission even of the European Members as And so it protesters terrorists. to anti-ACTA the referred seemsthat anybody can become as a terrorist, long as we pay attention.don’t protecting not seemare our democratic rights, but rather order in to be terrorism concerning abusing the global fear rights.toSo the question Do par take is: those very away the serve the people,liaments still merely do they serve or states in a so-called live or state-players? We representa that people feel lost we contact have yet tive democracy, our representatives. represent we Are with, and control of, ed by people who act according to want, what we are or we by people agendas? represented with their own can militaryof the and Director officer who (CIA) Intelligence Agency Central scandalwas caught in a well-publicized with an extramarital affair involving militaryPaula Broadwell. former officer by raised that were issues Among many inva scandal is the pervasive the Petraeus David Howell Petraeus is a former Ameri is a former Petraeus Howell David 5. - - - - , which , which 3 after leaking to the public classified and Afghan the Iraq documents regarding he was sentenced to 35 2013, In July Wars. in prison. years

4 5 There’s a terrible sliding scale sliding within those a terrible anti-terrorist There’s It seems to death by a terror to avoid me that in order Internet monitoringInternet and data set in were retention laws The EU extradition treaty has also been used to keep I am beginning to wonder whether terrorism is really a is really I am beginning terrorism to whether wonder Act, been haswhich silently Consider the US Patriot laws. Recent years have shown that journalist organiza that journalist shown have years Recent laws. ist’s bomb, we have instead death by a thousand bomb, have we chosen for ist’s legal cuts to our liberties and rights. used to establish cases against accused CIA directors of has which nothing to relations, do with sexual improper terrorism. being holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London,in embassy being com holedEcuadorian the in up pletely incommunicado. even are they but now place to terrorists, protect us from about Manning. Bradley in him resulting two years, over for silent ecuted under the Patriot Act—not because Act—not ecuted he is a terrorist, the Patriot under but because he is accused of exposing by crimes US war to information WikiLeaks. I am, of course, talkingproviding prolonged under the Obama administration. the Obama Right now under prolonged is somebodythere who has been sitting in prison, in pros being solitaryHe’s years. confinement,for over two growing problem, or if we are merely steadily expanding merely are we or if problem, growing the definition what counts as terrorism. retention of everything we do online—everything we see, online—everything do we we retention of everything talk we everybody to—all of capturing that one the sake for be not or may out there. who may terrorist ’s extradition treaty US the with Union’s European prison it easier to country’s one suspects move makes from started we’ve monitoring heavy and datato next. Moreover,

soldier who was arrested in May 2010 in May soldier who was arrested the US and the EU was signed June on 25 2003. Bradley Manning is a United StatesBradley Army The Agreement on Extradition between The Agreement

4. 3. because of the Internet, every Dutch person can now easily foster an ongoing national debate with impartial special- communicate with every other Dutch person. ists instead of party members behind the party discipline. We believe that giving people the chance to vote Moreover, this approach could lead to decisions based on through the Internet—giving them unlimited votes on all of factual information and not stale political dogmas. And the problems they see arising in their society and to allow so, we believe that a way out of our current democratic them to discuss those problems amongst each other and vacuum is through liquid feedback. come up with solutions and laws—will be a much better Liquid Democracy also holds the promise of taking away way of tackling the problems of the twenty-first century, political power from the old and corrupted power struc- while simultaneously moving us in the direction of a true tures. It promises to bring a true democracy to old and new democracy. The representative democracy that we have democracies, and it might be the only way to stop govern- had so far has just been an intermediary step, and now we ments from criminalizing its citizens with an ever-widening have the technology to make the next step possible. definition of terrorism and persecuting them—or prosecut- It would be so much easier for people to come together ing them—with an ever-increasing array of legal, semilegal, through an online forum and talk to real experts and to and even illegal means. each other. There are 150 parliamentarians in The Hague, We have lost control of our democracies, and we need to and there are parliaments all over the world, but these regain control of them. Liquid Democracy feedback might parliamentarians are not experts: they arrive and hold of- be a way to do this. We should stop making laws against fice for four or eight years and they rely on the established the people, and start making laws by the people. political machinery for their information, for their guidance. They base their decisions on strict party and political lines Dirk Poot is a blogger, programmer, politician, and spokesperson for rather than on what the people need. the Dutch Pirate Party. This is an edited transcript of the lecture he de- livered on 29 December 2012 in the context of the second New World We feel that a free Internet, where everybody is able to Summit in Leiden, the . The transcript is published here find their own information and participate in these national with the permission of the author. parliaments, is critical to a true democracy. It would allow people to trust delegates based not on the fact that he or she has been a party member for 20 years, but on the basis that he or she has researched a subject for a long time— written a thesis about it, for example. That is a much better way of trusting people, of giving people influence. And Liquid Democracy is a way in which we can either vote ourselves or we can hand over trust to a person who knows the issues well. If a person betrays that trust, we don’t have to wait for four more years to vote for a new person. No—we can immediately take away the delega- tion and hand it over to somebody else. In this way, we can The Freedom Cloud

Becky Hogge 46–47 ------BBC BBC 1 Open De

2 , 7 March 2011, online at: 2011, http:// , 7 March with “anything they can they with “anything the Gaddafi regime, prior to Libyan Revo prior regime, to Libyan the Gaddafi regime “Libya’s lution, Halliday, see Fred a stateat 40: kleptocracy,” of mocracy www.opendemocracy.net/article/libya-s- regime-at-40-a-state-of-kleptocracy. - BBC [email protected] The tools that help Arab democracy protesters toolsThe democracy Arab that also help extend of three the reach United Statescorporations. The power of Facebook, repre , and an appropriationsents of the hacker-utopian ideals of Internet.the early to The challenge those still who up hold these is to ideals recover true a path to freedom. The degree of influence of these tools in the popular At the end of the interview, Anwar asks listeners to visit listeners asks Anwar of the interview, the end At 22 February 2011, online at http:// 2011, 22 February supportedweeks been protests that had in previous its neighboring through sweeping countries. since and have risings and Egypt that started in Syr and even Yemen, Bahrain, to eastward spread Jordan, ia, in dispute. Arabs—often that many But remains young, It’s a Tuesday morning in February 2011. From an ex From 2011. February in morning a Tuesday It’s flagship radio’s on BBC correspondent a Cairo, hilarated reports on the resignation of Hosni Today news program Libyan expatriate in a young living Swed, Mubarak. Anwar London, talksto the co-presenter James Naughtie. able to not yet enter are journalists Western and other Anwar But Tunisia. and liberated newly Egypt Libya from is in contact inside the country, and family friends her with and on the basis accounts, of their she mostly by SMS, being “left, are shot that peoplesays in the capital of Tripoli right, and center.” Libya, Medical for Camp Facebook World for and search or to e-mail participate with as soon as possible.” In an instant, the Libya appeal in Colonel Gaddafi’s turmoil puts the incipient into and technology- context the same of Internet-driven campaigner warns of ‘massacre’,” ‘massacre’,” of campaigner warns Radio, news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/news id_9404000/9404253.stm. Anwar Swed and James Naughtie, “Libyan and James Naughtie, “Libyan Swed Anwar the state of under a summary Libya of For 1. 2. 48–49 , - - pastiche— Open Democracy Indiana Jones 00144feab49a.html#axzz2eJxFyEBd and beyond way: third “Arab Khaled Hroub, dictators and Islamists,” online at: http://www. 2011, 9 February opendemocracy.net/khaled-hroub/arab- third-way-beyond-dictators-and-islamists. , 27 March , 27 March Financial Times The New Gatekeepers The New To explore this intimate explore ambiguity a little further leads To “Governments of the Industrial World, you weary giants weary you of the Industrial World, “Governments and steel, Cyberspace,of flesh I from the new home come of the past you toof Mind. On behalf I ask of the future, have not welcome among us. You are us alone. You leave Why might this be? In part In be? this might Why because speculation such an is since so entertaining business, and moreover, lucrative and general if our those of many speculating the West—even in of patchwork understanding is a broken world of the Arab and neoconservative propaganda tempted are they to day, and Facebook every use Twitter of our inflate the for compulsive the But alsotoys. power an immi new technology—like reason that forgivable more stealing intogrant imaginations—perfectly our the fullfils of Godalternating roles and scapegoat seem that humans social complex ignore) and (or to explain in order to require political issues. and the across North Africa events great the from away political, core and towards Middle East technical, and about the capacity arguments commercial of these new of technologiescontext to The difference freedom. advance bemay less significantlarger than it appears, and in a less importantperspective prove ques than the underlying tion case: faced in each the most of the whether powerful tools less a door of are to than a window current the future opportunity closing. that is now media in the uprisings in Middle East and media in Middle East in the uprisings see Evgeny world, the Arab throughout the free cannot alone “Internet Morozov, Middle East,” online at: 2011, http://www.ft.com/intl/ cms/s/0/6f6f0c3c-58bc-11e0-9b8a- For two perspectives on the role of social of on the role perspectives two For 6. ------Open De - In Egypt, In Egypt, 3 , as as well the 6 , 11 March 2011, online at: 2011, http:// , 11 March on Twitter. Al JazeeraAl

5 qassemi/egypt-from-revolt-to-change. speech,” a king’s and exception, mocracy www.opendemocracy.net/valentina-bar tolucci/moroccan-exception-and-kings- speech. opendemocracy.net/sultan-sooud-al- See Valentina Bartolucci, “TheSee Moroccan Valentina 5. , - #sidibouzid , 24 January January , 24 Open Democracy Wherever there is protest elsewhere in the region, in the region, is protest elsewhere there Wherever 4 Open Democracy Open Door vs. Closing Window Closing Open Door vs. In this respect, Anwar Swed’s intervention—a dissident, In this respect, Swed’s Anwar In Tunisia, the self-immolation of a despairing young of a despairing young the self-immolation In Tunisia, lation, and the overall effect has effect been lation, and the overall to overstaterole the Facebook, social and other networking technolo of Twitter, renaissance.” gies in the so-called “Arab much the new tools the new much contributed have to the ongoing pro cess of political and elsewhere. in the Middle East change The vacuum of understanding is filledendless specuwith There is no certaintyThere and a lot of debate about just how albeit proxy, voice from inside Libya when broadcasting inside Libya when voice from albeit proxy, as part still border—appears stranded at the giants of were historicala great tide. from Iran in the east to Iran Morocco in the west,from the new me dia tools partare scene. of the one of the many torture victims of Egypt’s brutal torture poone of the many victims Egypt’s of lice—helped nationwide resistance galvanize to a corrupt regime. attention by the combined use of mobile-shot videos, Facebook, and broadcasters like the hashtagspiking of after all Khaled Said”—named are the Facebook page “We market-trader in the provincial town of Sidi Bouzid sparked town Sidi Bouzid sparked of in the provincial market-trader to national brought localand international riots that were educated, ambitious, been idealistic, frustrated—have and and coordinate information toable pro to use them share tests against authoritarianindisputable. is rule

from revolt to change,” to change,” revolt from online at: http://www. 2011, 8 February roots-of-turmoil. 2011, online at: 2011, http://www.opendemoc racy.net/paul-rogers/tunisia-and-world- of turmoil,” turmoil,” of See Sultan Sooud Qassemi, “Egypt: Al Paul Rogers, “Tunisia and the world: roots roots and the world: “Tunisia Rogers, Paul

4. 3. 50–51 - - - - , 20 Febru , 20 October 2009, , 20 October 2009, Venture Beat Venture Xconomy and whose news and 9 and ultimately even the and ultimately even These US corporations are 12 10 in itself. ary 2011, online at: online 2011, http://venturebeat. ary com/2011/02/20/arab-revolts-another- good-week-for-social-media-a-bad-week- for-dictators/. ‘Hy Reports on the Rise the Internet of per Giants’,” online at: http://www.xconomy.com/bos ton/2009/10/20/arbor-networks-reports-on- the-rise-of-the-internet-hyper-giants/. good week for socialgood for media, week a bad week dictators,”for See Wade Roush, “Arbor Networks Networks “Arbor Roush, See Wade 11 12. - , 11 , 5 BBC News www.kovasboguta.com

Yet the promiscuity of language is also a trap, in that also is the promiscuitya trap, of language Yet Arbor Networks, itself of network a giant in the world revolution—a “network effect” “network revolution—a from far very are toolsthe web renaissance Arab of the not a those of the cyber-utopians. Facebook is a hierarchy, not a network. Gmail is a hi is a hierarchy, network. Twitter those of us who use these tools network. not a Yes, erarchy, loosely as the utopians say, are, would we “networked”: are also fused to are joined. we But the corporate giants that these from tools, whose buzzing and profit through provide our intimate pass. or banal exchanges servers estimates traffic that about of all web 60 percent security, terminates at about of all 150 companies, percent and 30 at about traffic web terminates 30 companies, including Google, Facebook, and Twitter. or gatekeepers— new intermediaries the hypergiants—the beginning are and they to dominate the net. Egypt’s revolution are also hackers. This is reflected is This the in also hackers. are revolution Egypt’s resort techno-utopian of the to jargon the of world media’s pieces loosely joined” tothe 1990s describe “small them: that is “connected” in a “network” to them act that allows way in a appeals“virally” spread organizing coordinated” “loosely yet way, in an “agile” protests that become “memes” Arab Mind,” Mind,” Arab online at: http://www. 2011, February kovasboguta.com/1/post/2011/02/first- post.html. everywhere,” off kicking online at: http://www. 2011, February bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/paulma son/2011/02/twenty_reasons_why_its_ kicking.html. See Kovas Boguta, See the New Kovas “Visualizing it’s reasons why Mason, “Twenty Paul Another revolts: “Arab Dean Takahashi, 9. 10. 11. - 8 - - , (New , (New , an endur The Hacker Ethic and The Hacker intermediary These words, written Thesein words, 7 Final.html. the Spirit of the Information Age 2001). Random House, York: See Pekka Himanen, Himanen, See Pekka 8. Electronic . A hacker likes to take likes things apart,. A hacker to see —will depend on each cyber-utopian group’s group’s depend on each cyber-utopian —will , online at: https:// hacker Hackers are an inclusive bunch, and they usually don’t don’t usually and they bunch, an inclusive are Hackers The utopians go by another, yet often yet misunderstood, The utopians go by another, Their enemy was and still is the Their enemy object to way extended use In their own of the term. the dedicated, activists self-motivated that helped seed most hackers are driven by a desire for autonomy and self- for by a desire driven are most hackers to the freedom to than determination, create; for do more institutions. by to them powerful consume what is offered mation from them or stop them from disassembling things or stop them from mation them from could that a say to understand function. they You how control, and that might be wants true of some. But hacker own interests. But many seek many interests. good.own But the public act They volunteer building inspectors,like trespassing on society’s digital public purposes.for it is fit to architecture ensure infor intermediaries, especially ones that keep dislike They name: their for only work work. they A sub-grouphow hackers of informational power such as governments, corporations, as governments, such power informational the emasculated toand the “legacy” BBC the media (from empire). Murdoch rampant network. identity The precise of these intermediaries—or gatekeepers bound of are to empires but they include preference, ingly important concept in the movement’s vocabulary for for importantingly vocabulary conceptin the movement’s its ability the stifling toof thosecharacter convey institu goes, destinedtions are so to which, the theory crumble of the global benign yet force the all-powerful before are the inspirational banner under which old-school which cyber- banner under the inspirational are utopians still march. no sovereignty where we gather.” we where sovereignty no (and web worldwide by the scribe1996 then-infant of the Barlow, Dead) band Perry John Grateful of the rock lyricist

Frontier Foundation projects.eff.org/~barlow/Declaration- Independence of Cyberspace,” Cyberspace,” of Independence John Perry Barlow, “A Declaration of the the Declaration of “A Barlow, John Perry

7. 52–53 - - - - - Instead, a tech 13 , that John Perry Barlow’s “citizens “citizens Barlow’s , that John Perry No Logo It was against the corporate transformation and under It was against the corporate transformation Prior to 1 December 2010, only 16 days before Mohamed before 16 days only to 1 December 2010, Prior This appeared to be case censor a clear of extrajudicial Control of The Point of the future” hoped push. the net would of the future” protest movements that have written into that have themselves the protest movements societies of North in their cyberhistory African aspect are, at least, matter US corporations fuelled by three may less to participants an authoritarian facing structure power the limits of further, as develop But they kind. of another boundthese virtual are to spaces” become “pseudo-public apparent.more mining of public space, detailed mil by Naomi Klein in her polemiclennial Foursquare, and MySpace. They were insanely popular, popular, insanely MySpace. and were They Foursquare, cases Silicon many and in Valley relaxed made their deeply rich. filthy owners set fire to himselfBouazizi Bouzid, the hackers’ in Sidi of the network would “re-intermediation” at this lament Amazon theoretical. day, on that But been largely have WikiLeaks’ responded to by removing political pressure the whistleblowing thus erasing their servers, website from in an instant.project of the the supposed defender on the part ship of the US, speech. right to free The problem Amendment—the First has company, Amazon, a commercial with this view is that and their wires, right to choose over what travels every bears no responsibility to maintaintherefore openness, the health of public discourse. or inclusiveness, shortly after that was inspired awakening The Arab attack wielded on WikiLeaks its weapon own Amazon’s and is considered by some to be major realiza the next that the vigorous ideal. The fact tion of the hacker-utopian - - - communards Web 2.0, like the of ambitious center-left of ambitious center-left Way the Third like 2.0, Web But much like those back-to-the-land those back-to-the-land like much But The Dream for Sale for Dream The walled gardens, neatly cultivated and weeded of unsavory cultivated neatly and weededwalled gardens, of unsavory in elements. The new gates to were these walled gardens Facebook, Bebo, Twitter, names: scribed with their keepers’ unbounded communicatory possibility, it offered check it offered unbounded communicatory possibility, limits.boxes and character Instead to exposure the of full a of series it offered perils of human nature, and pitfalls political purist the early of the 1990s, betrayed leaders of wooing a mass market.ideologues favor in Instead of media,independent socialmedia. it offered Instead of the medium—and that happened when the World Wide Wide the medium—and that happened the World when 2.0. became Web Web people like me to avoid the ire of studious housematespeople me to the ire led avoid like of keeping as a way us to to providers move commercial separate the connections and website. home that served buzzkill, the message though, was when joined The real drove even those hackers who knew how to how set up their who knew those hackers even drove to the collective under protection mail client shelter own of the need Then, of Google like and Yahoo. e-mail providers of the 1960s who gave up farming after one season had up farming gave of the 1960s who self-suffi it was, communicatory to hard how them proven turned out to First,ciency the rise be. hard. of spam . . well, They called it “many-to-many communication,” and that’s communication,” that’s and calledThey it “many-to-many exactly what it was. first job in a magazine. The day that a blogmagazine.day job in a popular The first posted home my written, down it brought a link to something I’d call connection, toInternet place my of an angry prompting PhD. to his a housemate finish who was trying from work hosted in the basement in a machine in of a house-share screeds on HTML-coded London. lovingly East It served got me my screeds that in turn the techie of the day, issues It was not meant to be this way. My first website was first My It to not meant was be this way. 54–55 - - - 19 highlights-eben-moglens-freedom-cloud- talk/. initiative visit their website at: and goals, http://freedomboxfoundation.org. For more information on the freedom box box on the freedom information more For 19. - - The point that it is contained of the box is 18 Software Freedom Cent Law These efforts making an impact,web are for today more The Reverse Switch Reverse The the “server-client” reverses box freedom Moglen, the For servers run the free operating system Linux and the free operating system Linux the free and the free run servers competing Apache other than any client products, server Microsoft.including of 60 percent around Apache serves busiest Goog websites. software free Without the world’s exist; wouldn’t wouldn’t the web le, Facebook, Twitter and Could there still be time the same way? there Could another Around was talking Swed that Anwar the legal radio, on BBC chapter academicMoglen was telling York Eben the New Societyof the Internet about innovation an he calls the and free running plug-server box”: a low-power “freedom user can in Internet open that every source software stall at home. of the person(s) whose and walls privacy within the four Your social networking could profile autonomy it affects. safely logs kept server the box, and your be from served on it.encrypted In effect,freedom is the equivalent the box London in the basement East of my that ran of the server the many-to- when the days of houseshare—a recovery communicationsmany network was just that. imagethat has led computing networked a wrong down it caught a politics up with path, where and geopolitics go an appears some, the reversal ing in the same direction. To it might But dream. impossibly ambitious hacker-utopian Stallman, Richard with Moglen is one just work. Together and one of of the free-software movement of the founders success. custodians software’s the long-term of free , 10 February 2010, commentary and 2010, , 10 February lights of Eben Moglen’s Freedom in the Freedom Moglen’s lights Eben of Talk,” Cloud er video talk of accessible via: http://www. softwarefreedom.org/news/2010/feb/10/ Software Freedom Law Center, “High Center, Law Freedom Software 18. ------, 19 May 2005, 2005, May , 19 The 14 , 27 December 2010, online , 27 December 2010, TECHi Open Democracy loves-linux-orders-government-transition- to-open-source/. China,” online at: http://www.opendemocracy. net/media-edemocracy/china_inter net_2524.jsp. Orders Government Transition to Open Transition Government Orders Source,” at: http://www.techi.com/2010/12/putin- See Becky Hogge, “The Great Firewall of See “The of Becky Hogge, Firewall Great See J. D. Rucker, “Putin Loves Linux, “Putin Loves Rucker, D. See J.

17. 16. Since then, Vladimir Putin has Putin Since Vladimir then, 15 , New China’s “national net” is an image “national of China’s 16 17 (New York: York: (New The Net Delusion: Delusion: The Net No Logo As Evgeny Morozov observes, Mahmoud Ahmadine Mahmoud observes, Morozov As Evgeny The broader trend is that the “Internet freedom” pro freedom” the “Internet is that trend The broader

the Internet’s possible future: an archipelago of mutually possible of mutually an archipelago future: the Internet’s isolated worlds. Russia should be open source, in order to guard against be to guard Russia should open source, in order and imagined in proprietaryreal back doors engineered of the at the orders Microsoft Windows like products US US government. ter Revolution” of 2009 to douse revolutionary zeal with of 2009 to douseter revolutionary Revolution” sentiment.anti-American all software usedissued a decree that by public bodies in jad has already used the fact that the US statejad used has already the fact depart “Twit failed during Iran’s coordinatedment Twitter with resist a trend whereby US intermediaries present the US US intermediaries present whereby a trend resist with a single point of control—and togovernment establish that single point themselves. for of control claimed by everyone from US secretary from of state by everyone claimed Hillary is becoming a cargo-cult.Clinton downwards is to to leaders seek ways non-Western response of many anti-globalization movement: of corporate hyper a vehicle giants possessing unmatched in efficiency selling back to desires. and expressions citizen-consumers their own nology that gave citizensability the nology gave that spacepublic to retrieve corporate has control turned discourseand public from imaginingsinto Klein’s of something worst beyond the

The Dark Side of Internet FreedomThe Dark Side of Internet 2011. PublicAffairs, York: rm/2010/01/135519.htm. Department State of accessible website, at: http://www.state.gov/secretary/ Internet Freedom,” transcript and video transcript Freedom,” Internet 21 2010of speech January on the US Picador, 2000). Picador, See Evgeny Morozov, Morozov, See Evgeny See Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Remarks on “Remarks See Clinton, Rodham Hillary See Naomi Klein,

15.

14. 13. exist without . And insofar as social move- ments owe much of their growth to free software, the Arab renaissance—or at least its web component—might not either. This historical tide may be a quiet one, but it has an honorable place in the struggle everywhere to define what freedom can mean in the twenty-first century.

Becky Hogge (born 1979) is a Cambridge-based campaigner, writer, freelance optimist, and author of Barefoot into Cyberspace: Adven- tures in Search of Techno-Utopia (Cambridge: Barefoot Publishing, 2011). This is a revised version of her article that first appeared on Open Democracy on 29 March 2011, accessible online at: http://www. opendemocracy.net/becky-hogge/freedom-cloud. Reprinted here with the permission of the author. Captives of the Cloud: Part I

Metahaven 60–61 - - - - , ed. - - - But But 1 article Coordinating the Internet New York Times New York This was the first re This was the first 3 ezinemark.com/a/to-the-cloud/. Internet: CoordinationSelf-governing by Design,” in (Cam and James H. Keller Brian Kahin 1997), 11. p. bridge: MIT Press, Sharon Gillett and Mitchell Kapor, “The Gillett and Mitchell Kapor, Sharon 3. - Ezine- In the cloud’s architecture of power, the early the early of power, architecture In the cloud’s 2 We are the be wethe of prisoners voluntary are are cloud; We weing watched did not elect. governments by over The Coming of the Cloud of The Coming ti paper, MIT research A nondescript in a 1997 diagram , 16 February 2012, online at: , 16 February http:// Consent of the Networked: The The of the Networked: Consent showed a “cloud” of networks situated between routers a “cloud” showed (IP). Protocol up by Internet linked to in relation the Internet.ported “cloud” usage of the term of networks gov The paper discussed a “confederation” by common protocol.erned A 2001 did not .NET software programs reported that Microsoft’s how doeshow one liberatea society has the Inter that already net? In a society connected pervasive permanently through bit and is, bit by Internet broadband networks, shared the the “cloud.” by piece by piece, overshadowed as was first The cloud, a planetary-scale infrastructure, made possible by an incremental rise in computing power, space, and transcontinentalserver fiber-optic connectivity. iteration of the global and parallel (infor It is a by-product a digital enabling (social) marketplace mation) economy, most powerful scale. the cloud’s of Many on a worldwide Internet,companies but build use no longer the shared resilience, for convenience, fiber highways dark their own and speed. is eclipsed.Internet tled “The Internet: Self-governing Coordination by Design,” Wael Ghonim, Google’s Egyptian executive, said: “If you “If you said: executive, Egyptian Google’s Ghonim, Wael towant liberate a society internet.” the them give just non, Freedom Struggle for Internet Worldwide 2012), xx. Basic Books, York: (New Mark Wael Ghonim quoted in Rebecca Ghonim quoted MacKin Wael The Cloud!,” “To Teddler, Brandon 1. 2. 62–63 - - - , - eWeek By 2015, com By 2015, 6 Storage Growth: IDC Report,” Growth: Storage online at:21 October 2011, http://www. eweek.com/c/a/Cloud-Computing/ Cloud-Computing-to-Drive-Storage- Growth-IDC-Report-193712/. Given this transition,exag it is no Given 7 , 1 October 2011, , 1 October 2011, If you think about the market that we’re in, and more more in, and that we’re about think If you the market software market, the kind of the enterprise just broadly legacy to systems happening from now transition that’s The coming of the cloud is spelled out by Aaron Levie, Levie, The coming is spelled of the cloud by Aaron out The Economist gest driver of the cloud is the ever-expanding spectrum is the ever-expanding of the cloud gest driver and such— Androids, iPads, of mobile devices—iPhones, tap users which from into its flock and the cloud around spine: server bined spending for public and private cloud storage be public and private cloud will bined spending for billion worldwide. $22.6 to the Internet the to an exodus from geration proclaim to way gives dispersed architecture The Internet’s cloud. model central of data storage and management, the cloud’s corporations.handled of and owned by a handful fastest one of Silicon Valley’s of Box, and CEO founder As Levie states, storage cloud providers. growing the big In the early 1990s, a user would operate a “personal home home operate a “personal would a user 1990s, the early In usually (ISP) page,” hosted Provider Service Internet by an located In the early user lived. the in which the country in Blogspot and video like sites online services 2000s, free of came the services to and surpass equal YouTube like local Insteadlocal e-mail of using a paid-for providers. ac count, began users to In the Gmail. switch to like services late 2000s complemented, 2010s this was and the early if by Facebooknot replaced, social and other media, which integrate e-mail, instant FTP messaging, (File Transfer and other social financial interactionservices, Protocol), clouds. Cloud-basedsoftware within their book sales, about brought the global and e-reading have shopping, storage biggest cloud dominance of Amazon, the world’s of the Web.” “Walmart and the provider Web,” Web,” online at: http://www.economist.com/ node/21530980. See “Amazon: The Walmart of the of The Walmart See “Amazon: Computing to Drive “Cloud Nathan Eddy, 6. 7. - - - 5 But it wasn’t un wasn’t it But 4 Schmidt Hosted by Danny Sullivan,” inter Sullivan,” Danny HostedSchmidt by the Search from Sullivan Danny by view on 9 August Strategies Conference Engine online at: the interview of transcript 2006, http://www.google.com/press/podium/ ses2006.html. Eric Schmidt, “Conversation with Eric with Eric Schmidt, “Conversation Eric 5. 9 April The New York Times, York The New panies that have benefited from that. Obviously, Google, benefited that.paniesthat have from Obviously, Amazon come to The computation mind. eBay, Yahoo!, and the data and so in the servers. forth are have a PC or a Mac or a mobile phone or a BlackBerry or a PC or a Mac phone or a BlackBerry or a mobile have you—or new devices stillwhat have to be developed—you a numbercan of com access get are to There the cloud. data be servers. should on and architecture services be a “cloud” should in computing—they call it cloud We browser of kind right the have you if that And somewhere. access,or the right kind of it doesn’t matter you whether I don’t think people have really understood this big think people how really I don’t have opportunity is. It starts really that the premise with the

software program works or where his or her data his or her is. or where works really software program The important thing is that it works. under a central government. As with most technology, government. a central under As with most technology, in is a sense of abstraction prior experiences; there from needs user no longer the the cloud to understand a how materials are dispersed over different servers, domains, domains, servers, different dispersed materials over are countries). The sovereign and jurisdictions different (i.e., unificationof , Bismarck’s like is more cloud distinct and bringing them elements formerly up sweeping The Internet canThe Internet be compared toa patchwork of city- states, User dataof islands. or an archipelago and content by Google CEO Eric Schmidt:by Google Eric CEO reside on any one computer, “but instead exist in the ‘cloud’ instead ‘cloud’ the in exist “but computer, one any on reside internet.” up the that make of computers computing” defined was til 2004 notion that the of “cloud

ml?ex=1230872400&en=5d156fc75d4093 35&ei=5070. 2001, online at:2001, http://www.nytimes. com/2001/04/09/technology/09HAIL.ht Not Shy About Ruffling the Ruffling Big Names About Shy Not in High,” John Markoff, “An Internet Critic Who Is “An Internet John Markoff, 4. 64–65

, - - - 15 In 16 Access Access Thomson Thomson Access ControlledAccess Klein said the Klein said the 12 , 29 December 2011, online at:, 29 December 2011, p. 381. Immunity for Surveillance,” Immunity Surveillance,” for Reuters http://info.legalsolutions.thomsonreuters. com/westlawnext/about/awareness/ practitioner-insights/default.aspx. Ronald Deibert al., Ronald et reported general that the  15. CNET , 7 November 2007, 2007, , 7 November , “they show that the United, “theyshow States maintains If the allegations true, according to are 14 The US government dismissed the case against The US government the 13 As technologies expand, the governance, legislation, As technologies the governance, expand, require social-networkingrequire sites, e-mail, voice-over-IP and as as instant well providers, messaging platforms, (VoIP) surveillance—a from demand to a backdoor for provide their companies cloud to for “alter the US government code wiretap-friendly.” their products are to ensure system allowed the government full surveillance not just not just surveillance full the government system allowed customer base, companies but of 16 other as of the AT&T well. asserting of the privilege telecommunications provider, state has also dismissed secrets. cases The government against itself telecom and other companies that assisted Sprint, including Nextel, and with similar endeavors, Verizon. Controlled the most sophisticated regime.” surveillance internet becomeand legalities com of surveillance increasingly plicated. 2012, In May counsel had FBI drafted of the a proposed that would law if a lawsuit brought by the Electronic Frontier Foundation Foundation Frontier Electronic the by brought lawsuit if a indication, is any the United States (EFF) against AT&T seems to determined its access expand government to star witness in communication.electronic The EFF’s technician who AT&T the case Mark Klein, a former was to seen,and ongo the creation in 2002, claimed have ing use of a dedicated National the where private room vacu up a system that had “set Security (NSA) Agency and phone-callumed up internet data ordinary from cooperationAmericans with the of AT&T.” The Washington Post The Washington online at: http://www.washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/07/ AR2007110700006.html. Ibid., p. 11 Ibid., p. Surveillance,” Story of Nakashima, “A Ellen Court “US Upholds Telecom Levine, Dan

11. 12. Ibid. 13. 14. - - - - ed. Ronald ed. Ronald Indeed, 11 , an MIT , an MIT That comparison 9 Beyond Denial: Introducing Next-Gen Denial: Beyond in Controls,” Access Information eration Controlled:Access The Shaping of Power, andRights, Rule in Cyberspace, Rohozinski, Rafal Deibert, Palfrey, John MIT and Jonathan Zittrain (Cambridge: 6. p. 2010), Press, 2012, online at: http://www.wired.com/ wiredenterprise/?p=20996. Ronald Deibert and Rafal Rohozinski, “1. “1. Deibert Rohozinski, Ronald and Rafal Access Controlled 10. It describes the so-called first” “security , 29 May , 29 May 10 8 International International Wired , 28 August 2012. , 28 August Cloud Surveillance Cloud in the enterprise. Larger than client servers. Larger than servers. than client Larger in the enterprise. mainframes. the cloud is literally, by definition, a once-in-a-lifetime is literally, cloud the to going happen is probably This a larger at opportunity. seen technologyscale other any than transition we’ve , 14 March 2012, online at: March , 14 http:// regimes—is now fast becoming fast now globalregimes—is the norm.” ernance can be seen, therefore, as manifes but another can beernance seen, therefore, tation Internet of these developments. wider confinedand surveillance—once to authoritarian largely norm, by which the combined threats of terrorism and and the combined by which of terrorism threats norm, the state create a mandate for pornography child to police assertthe net without restriction. As the authors in their gov internet around conclusion, “[t]he norm security-first Press handbook on Internet surveillance and censor handbook surveillance on Internet Press statesship, is now control information that “the for quest beyond denial.” The various technicalThe various components global that enable lend network, and client—all communication—server, to themselves surveillance. Google, one of the world’s seven largest cloud companies, cloud largest seven Google, world’s one of the compared itselfhas recently to a bank. is apt. If data bank, in the what money is like in the cloud the cloud? in happens to “conveniently” resides it while it

and Cade Metz, “Google: ‘We’re Like Like ‘We’re and Cade Metz, “Google: Data,’” Your a Bank for gigaom.com/2012/03/14/amazon-is- no-1-whos-next-in-cloud-computing/ Who’s Next in Cloud Computing?,” Computing?,” in Cloud Next Who’s GigaOM Herald Tribune Herald founder, move quickly,” quickly,” move founder, See Barb Darrow, “Amazon Is No. 1. 1. Is No. “Amazon See Barb Darrow, Nick Bilton, “Data storage server, and Bilton,Nick “Data server, storage

9. 8. 66–67 -

- 19 - - 18 - , 27 CNET 20 for Net Encryption Backdoors,” Backdoors,” Encryption Net for online at: http://news. 2010, September cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20017671-281. html. suspicious-activity-reporting-flyers/. 20. See http://publicintelligence.net/fbi- - - , 1 February 2012, , 1 February PC World The Cloud as a Political Space as a Political The Cloud Through DPI, law enforcement would detect would and identify enforcement law DPI, Through on the was even SOPA before illegal downloads. In 2010, table, administration Obama the sought to enact federal offering communications force that would providers laws e-mail (including and instant encryption to messaging) to data. unencrypted access enforcement provide by law worth is still noting protected that encryption It is, however, Con of the US Amendment speech” by the First as “free deterring, stitution—further complicating, but not likely attempts to the code. of doing so consists break One way insinuation with the illegality. of encryption of surrounding business in 2012 distributedto internet cafe The FBI flyers behav of “suspicious to requesting them be wary owners portals of anonymizers, ior” the “use by guests, including or and “encryption to IP address” means or other shield use of software to data.” hide encrypted In small print, the by themselves, addedFBI that each of these “indicators” constituted conduct. lawful however, The increasing prominence that cloud-based ser The increasing prominence internet technologies over vices, social enjoy now media, and VoIP legacy tools of communication is demonstrated in how Representatives in late 2011. How the government would would government the RepresentativesHow late in 2011. became the suspicion with concern, a real police SOPA method bewould choice of standardthe enforcement that inspectionsized users’ deep packet through (DPI) deployed the “pack process by which providers—a service Internet data of ets” and inspected. unpacked network in the are Inspection?,” Inspection?,” online at: http://www.pcworld.com/arti cle/249137/what_is_deep_packet_inspec tion_.html. Alex Wawro, “What Is Deep Packet “What Is Deep Packet Wawro, Alex “Report: Declan McCullagh, to Push Feds 18. 19. - - , 29 - - Channel 4 Channel Internet and Phone Data,” and Phone Internet June 2012, online at: http://www.chan nel4.com/news/black-boxes-to-monitor- all-internet-and-phone-data. Geoff White, “‘Black Boxes’ to Monitor All Monitorto Boxes’ “‘Black Geoff White, 17. , CNET But the cloud is nothing like a national is nothing like the cloud But 17 about the gap the agency perceives between about the agency perceives the gap CNET Most journalism routinely criticizes (or praises) the criticizes the routinely praises) (or Most journalism

veillance increasedveillance with the proposed Stop Online was introduced which into the US House of (SOPA), Act once a legal anomaly, now a routine—will likely be invoked be a routine—will invoked now likely once a legal anomaly, powers and increased extensive surveillance to such shield about concerns sur Internet Users’ public scrutiny. from The representative mentioned “national security”The representative mentioned “national to badly wiretapping, cloud demonstrate how it needs such that the stateinadvertently revealing secrets privilege— told the phone network and advanced communications cloud intrusive sufficiently have it does which not presently for dark.” “going technical capacity—the of surveillance risk The potential is of the US cloud impact of surveillance already as as vast have the impact of its services—which representative An FBI the world. transformed profoundly US government for its ability to spy on “Americans.” But But its ability for to spy on “Americans.” US government something essential is not mentioned practi here—the else. tocal everybody spy on ability of the US government are the suspect the a crime is—atare of least in principle—at the disposal enforcement. of law telephone network. Whenever the cloud is “wiretapped,” the cloud telephone network. Whenever authorities listen into a global telecommunications oracle; of where regardless usingthat cloud, the data of everyone or not they of whether and regardless are, and who they trieve and decrypt communications from Gmail and other communications and other Gmail and decrypt from trieve and store the non-content services, cloud data these from communications. 2012, the government of the Unitedof the announced Kingdom government the 2012, the installation—in collaboration telecom with companies re would which so-called and ISPs—of boxes” “black

com/8301-1009_3-57428067-83/fbi-we- need-wiretap-ready-web-sites-now/. Wiretap-Ready Web Sites – Now,” Sites – Now,” Wiretap-Ready Web 2012, online at:4 May http://news.cnet. Declan McCullagh, “FBI: We Need We “FBI: Declan McCullagh, 16. 68–69 ------25 Department State of accessible website, at: http://www.state.gov/secretary/ rm/2010/01/135519.htm. Evgeny Morozov, a US-based, Morozov, Evgeny 24 let me break the hard news: You can’t have it both have ways can’t You news: the hard let me break everyone” for and the sooner get on with “anonymity you pessimis accomplish. I am very rhetoric, you’ll the more think tic of online anonymity in general—I on the future is a goodthere chance it will be eliminated by 2015— and this hesitance by the State Department does not optimistic. more any me feel make On the one hand, they want to crack down on intellec to down want On the one hand, they crack tual property hand, they on the other and terrorists; theft dissidents. towant and the Chinese protect Well, Iranian Here, the free flow of information is blocked by clearly clearly by blocked is information of flow free the Here, Internet have To not identifiable authoritarian despots. of a shame be one must oppression the freedom, under society”less tyrant, the free or be a “closed in where living appreciated. On sufficiently yet is not of information flow Secretary US of State2010, de Clinton 21 January Hillary policy freedom, a speechInternet and foreign on US livered audi her assured Clinton highlighting view. exactly this gov speak I to today, you DC that:ence in Washington, “As words to my erase furiously working are censors ernment of history.” the records from criticized rightly scholar Clin Internet Belarusian-born view of authoritarianism.” As Morozov “anachronistic ton’s nature hear anything about “I didn’t the evolving explained, now that controlling the internet control (e.g., of internet activities—propaganda, other many includes DDoS attacks, If we physical intimidation of selected critics/activists). we issue, this discussion as only a censorship framing keep to it.” solve unlikely are on to criticize went He the double standards the State Department advertised to with regard online anonymity: Internet Freedom,” transcript and video transcript Freedom,” Internet 21 2010of speech January on the US See Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Remarks on “Remarks See Clinton, Rodham Hillary  24. - - - , - - - - - , 21 June 22 Financial Times , former CNN re , former Consent of the Networked Consent In 2010, UK Prime UK Prime In 2010, 21 xxii. David Cameron,” Cameron,” David 2012, online at: http://blogs.ft.com/tech- blog/2010/06/mark-zuckerberg-friends- david-cameron/?Authorised=false. This applies equally—and just This applies equally—and 23. MacKinnon, 23 - - - , 29 Consent of theConsent Networked The Guardian The combined rights to a free flow of information, free The combined rights of information, to flow a free In her bookIn her and use of, the Internet enables the liberation a society. enables of the Internet and use of, dom of expression, and freedom from censorship, have been have censorship, from and freedom dom of expression, described as a compound right to Indeed, freedom.” “Internet access Ghonim suggests, unhindered to, Wael as Google’s contested political space.” the cloud. as urgently—to porter of the citizen media network and cofounder Global Rebecca MacKinnon cannot asserts under that “we Voices stand understand is used the internet first unless we how itself the internet in which has becomethe ways a highly met in London with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. met in London with FacebookZuckerberg. Mark founder was mutual. one another Their admiration for nospeak: profiles had “not been registered correctly,” as “not registered been correctly,” nospeak: had profiles a Facebook explained. spokeswoman politicians conservative and other Cameron Minister David the cloud. The reason for the purge is still not known and still is the purge not known The reason for the cloud. that the social will be.networking All behe never likely moth could utter to its tech justify behavior was cryptic book of deleted of dozens politicalwho the profiles groups to take preparing were part in further protests. In doing so, Facebook lawful political disabled effectively activism, coordinates obvious reasons, moved their had,which for to platforms are suddenly “switched off,” their ability organ to off,” “switched suddenly are platforms of nationwide affected.wake In the ize can be severely Face 2011, anti-austerity protests February in the UK in they enable new, virtually cost-free forms of organization. of organization. forms virtually cost-free new, enable they collective on action, social relying this fac movements For social when media Unsurprisingly, totor be has key. proven

book-accused-removing-activists-pages. April 2012, online at: http://www.theguard ian.com/technology/2011/apr/29/face ing Activists’ Pages,” Pages,” ing Activists’ Tim Bradshaw, “Mark Zuckerberg Friends Friends “Mark Zuckerberg Tim Bradshaw, Shiv Malik, “Facebook Malik, Remov Accused of Shiv

22.  21.

70–71 The first mention of the notion of the “cloud” was in a 1996 diagram in an MIT research paper, redrawn here. redrawn paper, research MIT an in diagram 1996 a in was “cloud” the of notion the of mention first The 72–73 30 - - - the cloud, since the cloud, some in cfm?abstract_id=388863. cfm?abstract_id=388863. online at: joi.ito.com, http://joi. mocracy,” ito.com/static/emergentdemocracy.html. Joichi Ito, “Weblogs and Emergent De and Emergent “Weblogs Ito, Joichi  29. - 29 Journal of Telecom Journal Insofar as the cloud’s software services use the shared use the shared services software as the cloud’s Insofar The Terms of Service of any cloud-based provider are cloud-based are of any of Service provider The Terms Internet, can they be considered applications on running network neutrality this end, applies to the the network. To is expected example, the cloud for tocloud; consume more bandwidth in the network, possiblyand more at the cost applicationsof other The concept and services. of network difficult neutrality is more to apply aggregated news on US drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, in Pakistan,aggregated strikes Yemen, news on US drone a Google and Somalia and it includes the map on which The app also alerts marked. are the user whenever strikes has and cites occurred, strike many how a new drone the information casualties it has produced. Crucially, aggregated completely public and by the app is already sources includ other various through available freely one of the ideas on how to (not) govern ourselves. Venture Venture to the ideas of one how on ourselves. (not) govern capitalist he when Ito in 2003, this view Joichi expressed freedom competition a that such wrote of ideas “requires of speech the ability and to criticize those without in power of retribution.” fear of the nominal conditions to institute ab neutrality are combination of hosting and software sorbed the cloud’s by is no box. within a single black there services In the cloud, principled separation betweenmore the hosting of data, tools the data which software, and client-side through is successhandled of and experienced. Indeed, the enormous all of these things at once. for is that it provides the cloud to a binding agreement : from they cry a far example, in bias.” For plentyallow of space “cloudy for its App Store. from 2012, Apple banned “Drones+” August provides Begley, student Josh developedThis app, by NYU Discrimination.” Law, munications and High Technology at: download for available 2 (2003), vol. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers. Tim Wu, “Network Neutrality, Broadband Broadband Neutrality, “Network Tim Wu,  28. - - - de

26 posts/2010/01/21/cyber_cold_war. sti-home. 26. See http://www.internetfreedom.org. 27. See http://www.savetheinternet.com/ , a project of Free Press, breaks breaks Press, of Free , a project , a global consortium which Network neutrality applies to a de 28 Foreign The notionto of net neutrality is asrelevant 27 , 21 January 2010, online online , 21 2010, January gentlemen’s agreement through a joint economic a joint through agreement gentlemen’s

facto competition. in innovationinterest and fair Indeed, even political speech can be considered part of a competition— centralized architecture, with clearly divided roles between divided roles with clearly centralized architecture, and content providers, broadband providers, service ISPs, applications and services on the network. It justifies a attention and interest of end-users. It is therefore impor attention Itis therefore of end-users. and interest tant the competition be to neutral ensure that the platform meritocratic.”remains unbiased its content. towards communi stated: As Wu “A cations can the internet be seen network like as a platform a competitionfor among application E-mail, developers. applications and streaming in a battle the are the web, for Wu in 2003, “network neutrality”to meant “network was originally in 2003, Wu the open of the Internet benchmark and promote nature infrastructure of innovation—an sake “end-to-end” the for of government agencies and private enterprises who may may who agencies and private enterprises of government certain not hold a bias toward or may on the information Coined by the legal Tim scholar network or one another. internet.” as since freedom it is to of the cloud, Internet the structure is in the hands of a patchwork management the network’s down Internet freedom into somewhat more clearly into clearly freedom somewhat Internet more down neutrality“net and wireless), (wired defined categories: use public of protections phone users, mobile strong for access to high-speed and universal the public airwaves aims to “inform, connect, the peopleaims to and empower “inform, in closed societies internet.” on a free information with www.SaveTheInternet.com Still, the definition of Internet freedom remains relatively relatively remains Still, freedom definition the of Internet by provided is opaque.vagueness of this example One www.InternetFreedom.org

Policy Net.EffectPolicy at: http://neteffect.foreignpolicy.com/ launching a cyber Cold War?” Cold War?” a cyber launching Evgeny Morozov, “Is Hillary Clinton Clinton “Is Hillary Morozov, Evgeny 25. 74–75 -

- , ] way will ] way sic 33 Consent of the Networked Consent ple-rejects-app-tracking-drone-strikes/. p. 119. 33. MacKinnon, - - Simultaneous to WikiLeaks app being the 34 The New York Times York The New [C]itizens are. . . vulnerable to abuse rights of their . . vulnerable to are. [C]itizens but government speech from assembly not only and that actors. private democracies, it follows In also from against violations of their digitalcitizens must guard and corporations—orrights both governments by acting the company involved of whether in concert—regardless is censoring and discriminating on its initiative own or authorities. from acting pressure under 30 August 2012, online at: August 30 http:// order to obligation it or the explicit to enact order justify it. In app a WikiLeaks iPhone Apple removed December 2010, app that its store, citing “Any from its guidelines: developer mean-spirited,to place or likely offensive, is defamatory, the targeted [ in harms or group individual be rejected.” banned, companies, US cloud Amazon and including other stopped to services WikiLeaks. providing PayPal, It is highly unlikely that Drones+ was banned was after direct that Drones+ It unlikely is highly difficult imagine it isn’t to But interference. government unstated,an informal, intuitive constellation and rather of praised by US politiinterests between Apple—universally cians on both sides of the aisle—and US government. the ties between interests and informal private enter Shared based of “Like,” prise and government, forms on mutual account may de for than strict separations by Law, rather without the explicit in the cloud, of censorship facto forms remotely resembled network neutrality, Apple could Apple not network neutrality, resembled remotely rejected case The reasonably the app. have also to brings that mentioned earlier warning Morozov’s Evgeny mind more the network of is nowadays censorship government sophisticated kill switch. As Internet Mubarak crude than a Rebecca MacKinnon writes, ing Drone Strikes,” Strikes,” ing Drone Blog, bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/30/ap Nick Wingfield, “Apple Rejects App Track Rejects App “Apple Wingfield, Nick 32.  - - - ’s The The

, 30 August 2012, August , 30 The Guardian is a well-known is a well-known , and one will Wired The New York Times The New York

31 (New Haven and London: Yale University University and London: Yale Haven (New It 2008). Press, U.S. App That Tracks Rejects man, “Apple Strikes,” Drone online at: http://www.wired.com/danger room/2012/08/drone-app/. for example—would in fact contribute in fact to example—would for capac and innovative stifle the generative Seeity Jonathan Zittrain, the web. of Stop To How Of The Internet—And Future Christina BonningtonChristina and Spencer Acker The Guardian The Guardian 31. - - The The ’s iPhone app. Apple demonstrated its demonstrated Apple its app. iPhone ’s 32 The Guardian The One can endlessly ponder why Apple banned Drones+ banned ponder Apple why Drones+ One can endlessly

from its but admitted cloud from The point is beweighing the arguments. finished never that if its had cloud operated something that even under media organization and Mr. Begley is not, or whether the Begley is not, the or whether media organization and Mr. Begley chose to on focus his app only is that Mr. problem strikes.” drone identical to the material available through identical through to the material available Apple is treating whether the two unclear It’s app. iPhone partiesbecause differently was “objectionable and crude.” was “objectionable on earth how it could bewondered that “the material Begley was nearly Apple deemed objectionable Mr. from the App Store Review Guidelines.” Indeed, the company the App Store Review does which not show concluded that Drones+, eventually images any of actual drone-related bloodshed,users entertainingdid not appeal app your or to enough, a Apple changed its By August, audience.” broad enough audiences app containedmind. The that many “content find objectionable,would is not in compliance which with with the Googlewith the logo appearing on the Google In map. 2012, the company statedJuly in an e-mail that “[t]he or not useful content app were of your and/or features ing ing of network parody neutralitycloudy the ever-changing in Apple had problems rejectingDrones+. for it gave reasons

, a book focusing on the rise of the web’s , a book on the rise the web’s focusing of service appliances—emphatically includ and iPhones, iPods ing design icons like designed not to be tinkered with by their with by todesigned be not tinkered closed that such users. Zittrain argued Korean radio sets, can sets, be attuned radio to ex Korean certain or disregard clude content, and are It North like which, appliances,” “tethered Jonathan Zittrain in 2008 wrote Jonathan Zittrain in 2008 wrote Stop To How Of The Internet—And Future On a related note, cyberlaw professor professor cyberlaw On a related note,  30.

76–77 App neutrality? Apple’s ban on two controversial iPhone apps in 2010 and 2012 shows a lack of network neutrality in the cloud. cloud. the in neutrality network of lack a shows 2012 and 2010 in apps iPhone controversial two on ban Apple’s neutrality? App The political, legal, and jurisdictional consequences of the cloud are slowly becoming apparent—right at the time when we are unlikely to withdraw from it. The cloud is just too good. We won’t stop using our iPhones, iPads, Androids, and Kindles. Paypal is still our frenemy. Happily the captives of the cloud, we will tweet our critiques of it, and Facebook-broadcast our outcries over its government backdoors. But the story is not over yet. Will the anarcho- libertarian roots of the Internet kick back at the cloud’s centralized architecture—or are they forever overrun by it? Has the cloud assumed its final form, or is there still a time and a place for surprises?

Metahaven is an Amsterdam-based research and design collec- tive on the cutting blade between politics and aesthetics. Founded by Vinca Kruk and Daniel van der Velden, Metahaven’s work—both commissioned and self-directed—reflects political and social issues in provocative graphic design objects and has been published and shown worldwide. This is an edited excerpt of the full essay which first appeared as Metahaven, “Captives of the Cloud: Part I” e-flux journal no. 37 (September 2012), online at: http://www.e-flux.com/journal/ captives-of-the-cloud-part-i/. For the second installment of this essay, please see Metahaven, “Captives of the Cloud: Part II,” e-flux journal no. 38 (October 2012), online at: http://www.e-flux.com/journal/ captives-of-the-cloud-part-ii/. Parts I and II, as well as the previously unpublished Part III of “Captives of the Cloud” are forthcoming in Metahaven, Black Transparency (New York and Berlin: Sternberg Press, 2013). The essay is reprinted here with the permission of the authors.

34. Gregg Keizer, “Apple boots WikiLeaks app computerworld.com/s/article/9201920/ from iPhone store.” Computerworld, 21 Apple_boots_WikiLeaks_app_from_iPhone_ December 2010, online at: http://www. store. The Status Project

Heath Bunting 82–83 - - Heath Bunting (1966) is a Bristol-based both Bunting artist of Heath (1966) and cofounder Net.art and sport-art movements. Our identityOur is constructed as beings, human who can possessone control and persons natural one or more artificialor more (corporations). persons human beings reduced possessLower-class one severely control of an artificial person and no natural (corpo person ration). Middle-class human beings possess person one natural and perhaps control one artificial(corporation). person human beingsUpper-class possess multiple per natural artificialsons control numerous and (corporations) persons separation and interplay. with skillful The Pirate’s Dilemma: How Youth Culture is Reinventing Capitalism

Matt Mason 86–87 - - 1 -

2006), http://www.gutenberg.org/cata log/world/readfile?fk_files=3274404. , trans. The Prince More recently than Machiavelli, a tumultuous than Machiavelli, renais recently More Talking ’Bout Boundaries (Territorial Disputes) ’Bout (Territorial Boundaries Talking side has to another each story it.But as As quickly up is a the ground This new system being created from sance has taken place in the music business, thanks to file response to file industry’s of the record The story sharing. business, other because the to every is relevant sharing communities and technologies that changed music could As new economicsystems of the economy. area every affect begin by sharing tounderpinned outcompete un markets, will become Dilemma a priorityderstanding for Pirate’s the alike. nations, and individuals organizations, Each story in this book in story is aboutEach boundaries coming down. democratized production. the means of PiratesPunk seen how have old restrictionsnew ideas. on ignored We can be, artists graffiti how remix and useful the reclaim of these ideas are interests. private public spaces All from new ways. in and usingabout information sharing ideas that societyadvance share ways new to out figures the common good, in to move private interests stop this to happening, maintainfrom the old systems that benefit As the elite.only This has history. happened throughout is that there once said, “It must beMachiavelli remembered doubtfulsuccess, of difficult more nor to plan, nothing more to the creation of a new than management dangerous more initiator the system. For has enmity the who would of all of the old institution by the preservation and merely profit in those who gain by the new ones.” defenders lukewarm the powers observed, have As we new kind of . cases, in many Dilemma that be resisting the Pirate’s are can benefitold of sharing the but the truth is that new ways systems, too. W. K. Marriott (1906; Project Gutenberg, Gutenberg, Project K. (1906; Marriott W. See Nicolo Machiavelli, See Nicolo Machiavelli, 1. 88–89 - - , “there , “there (New York: Penguin, Penguin, York: (New magazine ran an an magazine ran Personal Computer 2006). What the Dormouse Said:What How 2 Rolling Stone What the Dormouse the Dormouse What Computers becameComputers social giant tools than mere rather The pioneers of Palo Alto had the same D.I.Y. attitude had Alto the same D.I.Y. of Palo The pioneers of engineering and finance. It was, just as compellingly, and finance. of engineering was,It just as compellingly, of a concertedthe result of visionaries— effort by a group artistic values, fueled by progressive sensibilities, and the occasional define the idea of mind altering drug—to what a computer could be: a liberatingtool to and expand human potential.enrich 1960s influence of of the calculators as result a direct In 1972, culture. youth both the anti-war and the hippie movements, fed their their fed bothmovements, hippie the and anti-war the socialpsychedelic of the ideasinto the development scientists Many at projects similar on working computer. influenced by also were PARC nearby R&D facility Xerox According themselves. hippies were Some power. flower author of to Markoff, John Shaped Counterculture 60s the Personal Computer between interesting they parallel the way very was this was about augmenting with psychedelics—which worked human potential—and of a man named Doug the works Engelbart, a pioneer of human-computer interaction, things, invented the mouse, who was among other who, attempting to aug would build a machine that he thought the human mind.” ment punk. social a new Their ideas for that energized machine a reaction tothe establishment machine and the war were invented by narrow-minded weren’t Computers in general. the combined efforts of a were they number crunchers; activists, radical left-wing who had a of anarchic group and our collective science, technology, to expand desire consciousness, began they which in the re to realize tells it, As Markoff lab. “[t]he transformative search great technology than just a triumph of our lifetime was more Said: How 60s Counterculture Shaped Counterculture Said: 60s the How See John Markoff, See John Markoff, 2. - (Disco’s) Revenge of the Nerds of Revenge (Disco’s) The birth of dance music was based on the idea of Good fences make goodGood make neighbors, but take fences the fence Less Fences = Better Neighbors = Better Fences Less shaped it came together at Stanford University’s campus shaped it came together at Stanford University’s and 1960s. during the 1950s There California, Alto, in Palo with involved tech young of a handful students, who were Youth culture built the personal computer. The ideas that built the personal computer. culture Youth which startedwhich to out asway build computer a operating becoming systems but is fast life. a design for new freedoms and possibilitiesnew freedoms while posing a serious to systems of the past.threat some oppressive It has since as birthed the open-source movement, what is known music was not the only unforeseen side effect of flower side of flower effect music unforeseen was not the only was the birth Another of the personal computer. power. see, now also as shall was designed we to be a The PC, social that offered machine—a information of sharing way sharing, channeled through David Mancuso, influenced Mancuso, by David channeled through sharing, electronic dance But culture. and 1960s youth Sister Alicia away and you have a bigger lawn. Get a few more neigh more Get a few lawn. a bigger have and you away got a park. soon and you’ve bors involved happens only when pirates jump fences, going on garden garden going on fences, pirates jump happens when only licenses unreasonable and patents over runs toto get us a better place. becoming obvious. nineteenth-century Our increasingly intellectual property suited the past, laws are but they and today often they stifle future, the not quite right for it. than encourage creativity rather Sometimes progress fewer fences. There will always be a need for gardens be gardens a need will always for There fences. fewer with goodgated and fences communities, boundaries but this is where a world in live can and we be damaging, The open-societyThe disco about dreamed is a space with 90–91 ------Hackers who weren’t ready to drink Gates’s to ready drink Gates’s who weren’t Hackers 4 The Homebrew Computer Club’s revenge on Microsoft revenge Computer Club’s The Homebrew The letter-writing geekThe letter-writing managed totide the turn of opin became man in the world. the richest was the open-source movement. agreed with While many others Gates software as and saw intellectual property, and continued software. didn’t free to their own develop and activist Stallman named Richard a hacker In 1983, writing a new oper Foundation, Software Free the founded atingthat was as system open as “[f]ree possible, arguing, understand the not price. To software is a matter of , speech,’ as as not in ‘free concept, think of ‘free’ should you beer’.”in ‘free In 1976, a 21-year-old programmer (another college (another drop programmer 21-year-old a 1976, In the Home wrote with LSD) dabbled to have rumored out stating club that the letter, an angry Computer Club brew called usecould BASIC, a program his software, no longer it. for without paying professional to do “Who can afford had which club, letter the the asked nothing?” for work to that. do exactly formed can “What hobbyist put three all bugs, document finding into programming, man-years even asked, he and distributeing his product free?” for and companies as IBM such researchers, though hackers, had been treating software as good a public since the was brilliant, but he had programmer 1950s. This young inclusive sharing, point of view to that of our a different for was not doing this He Computer Club. Homebrew his software was not a public good—itnothing: was intel lectual property he had created a profit. to make He hada point: he be his time? paid for shouldn’t Why considered widely software was 1980s ion, and by the early scratching a good ended up He living . his software, too. was Billfrom The letter-writer Gates, of the Studio 54 of personal computing, Microsoft founder been to as free use as had a previously which Software, Gates public park but was becoming a gated community. - - - - - 3 - - freaked him out so that he buried him out much it freaked in his backyard. The club’s members included a college who members dropout The club’s In 1975 a company calledIn 1975 Altair home released the first Instead of being controlled by Xerox, the next stage the next Instead of being in controlled by Xerox,

once it went commercial. once it went along the way. Like disco, computer Like some software was along the way. thing of a loose-knit, collaborative effort with an open completely disco, change social it would And like structure. future Apple cofounder, Steve Wozniak. They remixed early early remixed They Steve Wozniak. Apple cofounder, future their and published fixing and debugging them, programs, members recruiting more newsletter, regular findings in a puter was formulated. occasionally dropped acid, named Steve Jobs, and his under flower power’s influence. They met in the garage of met in the garage influence. They power’s flower under to California, ponder Mateo home in San County, French’s of computing, usingtechnologythe future new as the such Altair kit. the idea that became Here the personal com mer Gordon French founded the Homebrew Computer Homebrew the founded French Gordon mer was a left- . . . Its membership in the same year. Club and activists up who also grew leaning mix of hackers computer kit, what was to as Moore which whiz kids such program the turntable and fellow Moore was to Fred DJs. fist known for protesting throughout the late the for protesting fifties throughout andknown six fist but asties. problems money the root of all human saw He us new some solutions. might offer thought computers twentieth century. a by overseen was development computer’s the personal paci was a radical Moore Moore. activist named Fred D.I.Y. search facility. In doing so, they lost out on their early lead lead lost on their early so, they out In doing facility. search processing—and squan the PC and word in developing the greatest business one of opportunitiesdered of the articleabout between link the and drugs psychedelic to power the people. returning computers piece The upset re Alto their Palo down shut they that so much Xerox

of seed money bestowed on him, which on him, which seedof bestowed money In 1971 Moore unwillingly had $20,000 had $20,000 In 1971 unwillingly Moore 3. 92–93 - - - . They found an average an average found . They compared 42 science entries in Wikipedia Encyclopaedia Britannica Nature Nature The open-source model is also known as a “wiki,” which which as a “wiki,” The open-source model is also known open-source does it open nature to leave Wikipedia’s dian Stephen Colbert to change has encouraged viewers than one occa on more Wikipedia entries during his show did as In the Unitedsion, they he spoke. which Kingdom, pages on live defaced each other’s two Radio BBC 1 DJs and Microsoft were In 2007 both the US government air. caught by Wikipedia editors as tampered they with their (editing page entries own own your is a practice frowned A 2005 by the science on by Wikipedia study users). journal and the per errors in Wikipedia and three per entry errors of four formative, so that both you and others can benefit from canfrom benefit so boththat others and you formative, it. businesses Some use open-source the model as it was who created just it, while others intended by the hackers basic with the play idea of options as opposed to rules, a communitythus enabling to brands— build on their up any to giving though without those brands. “practices in production Wikipedia and is defined by as access that promote todevelopment product’s end the their source code. Some source materials—typically, consider it as a and others consider it as a philosophy, example of Wikipedia is a great pragmatic methodology.” an open-source model. It is an online encyclopedia—the can be in the world—which added encyclopedia largest to, updated, Wikipedia, and edited Before anyone. by painstakinglyencyclopedias were constructed by schol by amateurs. Instead Wikipedia but is built entirely ars, of decentralized way Wikipedia a new, embraces authority, contributors, Wikipedia had By 2008, 75,000 of working. than 100 articles, million in more and was available 5.3 added, thousands of new entries are day Every languages. edited are upon. improved and thousands more and United In the States,tampering and inaccuracy. TV come - - - anyone can use the Vores øl recipe to brew recipe to øl brew can use the Vores anyone and as long as beer, their own and remix the same their recipe under publish they from money to make free are they license, open-source design øl’s it and use Vores and branding. - Vores øl øl Vores Open for Business Open for The idea behindThe idea open-source software is to let others

The open-source movement has created new business The open-source movement models. just a case Open source isn’t of letting use others also to about work your be allowing trans it’s work; your way toway maintain of new public goods wealth a and pro of Linus Torvalds, mote In the words enterprise. private of open-source software company Linux, “thefounder is open-source everything.” future as Mozilla, popular and created the hugely open-source its tentacles spread As the Web Firefox. browser Internet it became the world, that openaround source was a clear experiment rather than a technical one. Free software software than a technicalFree rather one. experiment 1998 as open-sourcerebranded in software was officially itselfby the company Netscape, rebranded then which 1990s when Tim Berners-Lee, a British researcher work a British researcher Tim Berners-Lee, 1990s when particleing at the Swiss physics center designed CERN, on top open-source software as a social of such the Web they create in the process. . . .The Internet was founded on on was founded Internet create in the process.they . . .The no is why which as and UNIX, Usenet such software free canuse it. it but everyone one can own is a public Usenet of us to build upon.good the rest It for was the early free copy, share, change, and redistribute and as software, change, your share, copy, agree tolong as they the new software the same with do pricey Kool-Aid instead started free Kool-Aid pricey Stallman’s chugging new code of a range and was created, code that beer, society. revolutionize would

be applied outside the digital of Re world. Commons license, leased a Creative under [Our Beer], the world’s first open-source first the world’s Beer], [Our open source can how to demonstrate beer, free beer, too. A group of students and of too. A group beer, free artists created Copenhagen in Open-source culture has sinceOpen-source culture developed 4. 94–95 - - - - Whole Whole http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6270657.stm. BBC

, information wants to be but custom, information free, The value of openness of The value is something most of us are Many businesses that give content away for free are are free for content businessesMany away that give , 17 January 2007, online at: , 17 2007, January A European Union reportA European released in 2007 specifically that in “almost open-sourceendorsed software, claiming costsall” cases, could long-term be reduced by switching to as from open-source systems such Linux. number The study also that the claimed of existing cost have would available already open-source programs firms billion) (£8 to build, and estimated€12 billion that of 131,000 the equivalent represent available the programs least (£525 800 million Euros or “at years, programmer Earth Catalog Linux is a wants to expensive. ized be information really this dictum. example of a companythat follows great Business School just comingonly to grips with. Harvard of a range report a published in 2006 that surveyed businesses to concluded and that introducing problems the best to was outsiders way find effective solutions. code that powers the Net—is also free. If there was a huge huge a was If there also free. Net—is the code powers that adding with pagescost to involved the Internet, or using it, of thesenone businesses be would to able function in the same way. fast. and growing making money The open-source Linux is asa hobby in 1991 setsoftware by Linus up Torvalds and today used by Google, cell phones, TiVos, in Motorola companies, Intel Many have including and IBM, BMWs. soft to new free full-time working develop programmers Linux. for free, By distributing software for ware their core personal computers world million 43 Linux powers now wide. By selling customized on top software that runs of for predicted the market open-source it’s software, the free para Linux products will be worth $35 To by 2008. billion of the phrase Stewart founder author and Brand, News “Open source gets European boost,” source gets European “Open 7. The The - 6 November, 2006. All other quotes from from quotes other All 2006. November, are this text that appear throughout Wales Eds. the same interview. taken from

5 . But as Chris Anderson notes in Anderson as Chris . But , “shortly after the report cameout, the Wikipedia , “shortly Britannica The Long Tail: Why the Why Tail: The Long an encyclopedia. knowledge. It me that this kind of social struck structure knowledge. and social could be agreement used than broader much camejust software. One of the things that to mind was closed. If I share my code, I’ll share it under a license it under share code, my closed. I’ll If I share but you can anything like, use you you that says it for And that provides as changes well. your tohave share our all share agreeing to field—we’re playing a level to share their work. People are able to their work. use People are the software to share not about It’s stuff. and noncommercial commercial for proprietaryversus about profit—it’s versus nonprofit I’d seen the growth of open-source software com seen the growth I’d ing togetherI recognized online. that the free-license people socialmodel us a new for gave paradigm, a way Making money was not rocket science to Wales, who who science to Wales, was not rocket Making money I asked Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, the founder to Wales, Jimmy I asked Amazon, and MySpace based are of their on the strength communities contribute and the content their users for The technologyfree. these businesses based are on—the Wildly successful Net-based businesses such as eBay, successful Net-based businesses as eBay, such Wildly made fortune a 1990s as in the an options and futures decided his passion: and then to in Chicago, trader pursue “A wiki is a website that anyone can edit,” he says. “It’s a a website wiki is a can edit,” that anyone “It’s he says. “A It has people information. place can where editand share tools people can where monitor to the quality revert and has done something bad.” if anyone versions older for its reprinting.” next for business model personally. wiki/open-source define the entry in in entry Long Tail corrected, Britannica while were entries to have wait will

(New York: Hyperion, 2006), p. 69. Hyperion, 2006), p. York: ( of Business is Selling Less of More Future Jimmy Wales, interview by the author, 14 14 the author, by interview Wales, Jimmy

6. 5. Chris Anderson, 96–97 - - - Schools and colleges have always shared the hackers’ the hackers’ shared Schools and colleges always have Perfect Information as perfect known A concept exists in economic theory edge about the actions instantaneously of others, updated comes as to new information light. theoreti It is a purely cal, impossible Wikipedia construct, where but in a world Stalker map gives the Gawker exponentially, is growing exactyou coordinates time, can and you of a person in real Googling met last Thurs spend hours that you a stranger be may we edging a little bit closer to it. day, wants to sentiment that information be and many free, being are made Educational theirs. resources freeing are open-source Free, world. to the the public all over available “The nobody is that reason can sell copies that a machine sell. because The machine’s ever would is all they one itself, cost has to got to materialsthe plus the price drop of its raw labor cost idea of added kills the whole assembling of it—it mission his team on a and to are subvert the Bowyer value.” status Using open-source licenses quo. do not allow that design will be the RepRap’s to patentanyone the technology, to to barrier the world the last down free download, kicking not for that, if it were stage all know all. “We once and for trade restrictions imposed the poor by the rich, be would food,” he says. “They thereby would all the world’s growing will aim is that RepRap My primary cease to beso poor. into manufacturing agriculture, and that the poor—whoturn the most competitivewill have labor cost of assembly—will be able tothereby use it to elevate themselves.” hasOpen-source culture the potential to 3-D the turn object other or idea, or any into organism. a living printer, is making And this radical idea based and D.I.Y. on sharing live. we in the way changes some profound describes which information, a state of complete knowl - - - - - Not only will the RepRap will the RepRap only Not 8 that appear throughout this text are taken are this text that appear throughout Eds. the same interview. from 7 “It has the potential nothing that to like create wealth 3-D.I.Y. Part 2: The New Batch The New 2: Part 3-D.I.Y. Systems based on sharing expand the way informa based the way expand Systems sharing on

and the idea of it, both continues: are worthless.” Bowyer has gone before,” he envisions of the RepRap, “[b]ut imme “[b]ut of the RepRap, he envisions has gone before,” machine itself, diately this leads to the RepRap a paradox: ing Darwin’s law of evolution.” law ing Darwin’s after eating chicken gremlin than a wet faster reproduce midnight, it will be itself able to and evolve. improve that it’s the study of things that reproduce. My proposed reproduce. the study of things that that it’s and so a lot of biological reproduce, machine would laws automaticallywould to apply it, the most obvious one be machine that could make almost all its parts,” own machine that could make Bowyer to have put the machine together yourself. “You’d explains. [itself], reproducing effectively be it would But albeit with a person. . . . The best definitionhelp from of biology is source 3-D printer that can printersource 3-D called print a 3-D the short. for or RepRap “I real Prototyper, Replicating Rapid ized it ought to that be possible to printing design a 3-D Adrian Bowyer and his team are developing an open- developing and his team are Bowyer Adrian their time and expertise Homebrew did at the they the way Computer Club. facilitateit?” social of successful The challenge networks createhow out to will to figure century in the twenty-first a dedicated community people to and how contribut keep ing to open-source and social projects networks, devoting tion is used, and in doing so, expand the market for that for tion used, is the market doing so, expand and in the question of us, will on more this dawns As information. do we stop “How but do we not be this happening,” “How million) in voluntary contributions from programmers in voluntarymillion) contributions programmers from each year.” alone

June 2006. All other quotes from Bowyer Bowyer from quotes other All June 2006. Adrian Bowyer, interview by the author, 10 the author, by interview Bowyer, Adrian 8. 98–99 - 10 11 , “and open scientific , “and 1959. The saucers, known as “Avrocars,” as “Avrocars,” known The saucers, 1959. a Canadian by developed originally were the US and bought by company in 1954 was abandoned The project after military. than $10 million had been intomore sunk operation and the highly the secretive it three unstable make could craft only flying clear that the It’s the ground. off feet gone open have saucer business should source a long time ago. - Wikinomics (New York: Portfolio, Portfolio, York: (New A great example of this is communityA great computing. Community computing uses distributed networks of so can we better understand By sharing global warming. space,disk distributed computer than faster networks are enough are if there our most supercomputers powerful tions will crumble,” predict Anthony D. Williams and Don Don and Williams D. Anthony tions predict crumble,” will their book in Tapscott of the world’s place. in their . . . All networks emerge will scientificdata last every will at to available be research and or burden.” prejudice single researcher—gratis—without The open us is utilizing society resources around forming alone can. It’s than markets efficiencies greater to achieve also applications, creating some killer new tackling some questions.of our biggest Community computing to is a way create vast amounts of decentralized computerby connecting power home com space using disk to their spare together Voltron, puters like do massive calculations of data and process vast swathes that no single supercomputer could handle. By signingup as SETI@home,online to such services processes which outer space from (SETI stands frequencies radio the for Intelligence), laptop joins your Extra-Terrestrial for Search together PCs linked million other to than five search more not using it.you’re whenever saucers flying for PCs, Macs, and laptops to on potential work and cures digital render animation cancer medicines and AIDS, for huge numbers and crunch the weather, movies, predict for Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration How Wikinomics: Changes Everything 157 2006), p. or the Smithso Virginia, Eustis, at Fort nian Air and Space Museum in Maryland, prototype two still exist there where by the US built were that saucers flying and 1958 between and US Air Force Army Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams, Williams, D. and Anthony Don Tapscott look SETI in the museum should Perhaps 10. 11. , - - - - - The Seattle Times 2006, online at:2006, http://seattletimes.com/ html/education/2003303937_teach blog14.html Many open-source Many collabo 9 they are educated. are they Blogging how , 14 October , 14 The Seattle Times Sharing information in new ways is affecting who in new ways information Sharing

widely, knowledge and power are being are distributed and power farther knowledge widely, The stock knowledge of human in history. before than ever years. five instituwalls dividing “The is doubling every getting together to collaborate and create a public good: human operating system, a living a map of our DNA—the Linux. so Because is being shared so information much Genome Project is a great example of this. was The project is a great Project Genome of some of the bestthe result and brightest scientists from huge pharmaceuticalacademia companies several and taped bin. the recycle put in and then on the refrigerator to the world people see. other for Kids realize out there It’s write.” what they reading are educating the smartestrations are even of us. The Human teaching have I seen a more powerful motivator for writing motivator powerful for teaching I seen a more have toldthan blogs,” teacher Mark Ahlness is not just because Writing of the audience. that’s “and a reality. Education has never beenEducation as has never exciting as other a reality. would such as videocontent but it to kids, games, on offer of years in twenty-five appear “Never that that is changing. is educated, but also assignments, educational podcasts, wikis are and class becoming becomes popular increasingly as school 2.0 ing interfere with his education; gettinging interfere now into a school who anyone for to against bedoesn’t have entry a barrier wants to learn. been denied access to education academia. bil for Free positive on effect a profound, lions of people have would let school once said that he never the planet. Mark Twain educational tools podcast and some the of from lectures OpenCourseWare, institutions, finest MIT’s such as world’s have to people available previously now who would are

reaching out to class students with a new reaching blogs,” of Stephanie Dunnewind, “Teachers are are “Teachers Stephanie Dunnewind, 9. 100–101 - - - - , which concluded, which 13 Wikinomics , p. 3. , p. Wikinomics The changes that need in our The changes to be largely made are Historically, societies have always been success societies more always have Historically, into project open-source Based million research on a $9 published their 2007 book their published collectivecan harness capability firms and that “smart and success,” to but to genius spur innovation, growth fully the potentialrealize require world of an open-source future and modus of the in the structure changes operandi “deep corporation and our economy.” perception. think that open-source Many models about are While money. making any and not away everything giving about are sharing a choice. They this is true of some, it’s the work doesn’t matter; it’s just about just it. doing matter;doesn’t work the it’s no This suggestedabbot tion, named by a first St.sixth century the where ethic, work intoBenedict, the Western evolved matter money to always do doesn’t we is for us, but work been has ethic work never This than the monastery. rather Benedict, for asperfect—even some monks tried of his to poison coming unstuck. it is increasingly him—but boast they when of public goodsful a wealth on which canenterprise be Open-source founded. socialfree net about systems based and other a still are works on sharing of new public goodsunimaginable wealth even which on unimaginable new business ideasmore be will established. about Internet industries The new value. creating new It’s code, free a public good.was built on UNIX; On top of that, millions of new community-based have private enterprises been as built, the new media giants Google such from and to and special-interest millions of niche businesses. Yahoo is being by a new middle replaced The music industry also a new of musicians, it’s just a class isn’t but this class, businesses oppor and citizens more democracy that offers tunities, our is redefining economicsystem. which Williams D. and Anthony Don Tapscott authors culture, Tapscott and Williams, and Williams, Tapscott 13. ------The nature of The nature is attempting to 12 , capitalism is based (New York: Random House, 2002). Random House, York: (New cal Approach to the Philosophy of Busi tocal the Approach Philosophy ness - The Hacker Ethic The Hacker www.JDunderground.com The Hacker Ethic: A Radi The Hacker When Work Stops Working Stops Work When People are figuring out new ways to share knowledge share ways new to out figuring People are

on the notionthat it is our duty to work. The success of open-source initiatives proves that money The success of open-source that money initiatives proves As Pekka go ‘round. thing making the world the only isn’t in observes Himanen and teachers provide will still about provide be isn’t and teachers expensive—this actually What’s their abilityundermining to money. earn work. we of why idea being is the very undermined and services that usedand services to be based things are on sharing doctors, sothat advice lawyers, from hadyou to for, pay becomesand teachers as easily downloadable as music. doctors, Indeed, the customized lawyers, that information Science Commons, are making scientific knowledge and making scientific are Science Commons, Systems accessible public. findings more to the general substitutes free creating all kinds of basicare for processes cal articles to diagnose help them patients; a study carried of the time, percent Google that 58 out in 2006 showed as the projects, such made right diagnosis. the Several cess to legal information in the form of a wiki, which gener wiki, which of a cess toform in the legal information ates legal advice based on the questions one asks. Doctors billion medi using than three a Googleare of more search that have serious implications for many industries, implications serious most many of that have for positive.them democratize legal the studentsprocess, and vol using law ac free to provide pool and unteer lawyers their knowledge distributed computing network of PlayStation 3s is faster in the world. fastest supercomputer than the PCs in the chain. Stanford University had signed up 15,000 Stanfordthe chain. in PCs had signedUniversity up 15,000 who donated con their PlayStation 2007, by April 3 users processing to spare This power biological research. sole’s

Linus Torvalds, Linus Torvalds, See Pekka Himanen, Manuel Castells, and Manuel Castells, Himanen, See Pekka  12. information, but it is possible to manage what you share so future depends on whether we fight these changes, or see it’s a win-win situation for you and others. them for the opportunities they are. We still need boundaries. But our boundaries now need Weaker Boundaries = Stronger Foundations to be porous. In many areas, ideas of collaboration and collective intelligence are met with fear and contempt. But Some critics argue that open source will completely de- others are proving that if you let your users add their two stroy free enterprise, but what it is actually threatening to cents’ worth, soon you have a pile of money. do is facilitate free enterprise on a truly democratic basis. Some think that open source is digital communism, but The huge disparities of income that exist in the world could it’s exactly the opposite. We are laying the public founda- be significantly eroded by the free distribution of all kinds tions for new ecosystems of private enterprise that will of knowledge and information, and if the 3-D printer suc- reinvigorate competition and break inefficient monopolies. ceeds, the free distribution of physical goods, too. Open The anti-authoritarian ideals of youth culture are becom- source isn’t going to end free enterprise on a global scale; ing something nobody saw coming: a new, more extreme, rather, it’s going to make it fair. invigorated, and equitable strain of the —the “I think that we are in for some really radical changes in decentralized future of capitalism. a lot of social structures, because of the ability to flatten things out and have really open sharing of information,” Matt Mason is a writer and currently serves as Executive Director of says Wales. “How it’s going to play out in a lot of fields, Marketing at BitTorrent. This is an edited excerpt from the chapter titled “5. Boundaries: Disco Nuns, the Death of the Record Industry, and I have no idea. But there are huge opportunities for peo- Our Open-Source Future” in his book, The Pirate’s Dilemma: How Youth ple who come to things with a new perspective.” Culture is Reinventing Capitalism (New York: Free Press, 2008). It is reprinted here with the author’s permission. Resources are being made available that could decentral- ize power in unimaginable ways. Giving resources away, exploiting others less, and relinquishing control have been defining the most progressive and innovative businesses, movements, and ideas since the 1970s. The mass market isn’t going out of business, but it’s learning to do business in a new way. The new democracy in the music industry gave us more choice, but for the old industry machine it means less dominance for marketing-led manufactured music and more opportunity for organically grown niche acts. We find ourselves with a unique opportunity to share anything that can be transmitted electronically the same way we share music, and all industries could face the same changes. The Wikileaks as an Editorial Problem: A Conversation with Geert Lovink and Merijn Oudenampsen Willem van Weelden 106–107 - - - - - point examples toThese almost a general arbitrary reformulate the question in a cybernetic and thus almost reformulate What is the connectingpolitically pattern fashion: neutral constellation in this hybrid influ of mutually that emerges be can only through The answer discovered factors? encing a network analysis and a politico-aesthetic analysis of and spheres ideology power, editing, and (informational) lesson We that the first can then perhaps say of influence. impressed upon the world that WikiLeaks has thoroughly that old fact:reintroduces what in principle is an namely, dataexposing in which way the is han and information than the potentially revealing compromising dled is more In the wake of the developments around WikiLeaks, the WikiLeaks, around the of developments theIn wake timeripe is to informa a closer look take the current at and researcher tion landscape. Weelden, van Willem specializingpublicist in media culture, and speaks with political sociologist Oudenampsen Merijn media and cantheorist effect Geert WikiLeaks on how social Lovink and political change contribute and to power making transparent.more and ideo filtering, information Questions of censorship, logically a new seem to entered colored news services have phase: Facebookdata filters Arab by the generated flows misusing existing from regimes to prevent in order Spring the Unitedinformation; States media as a regular censors sanctions are extreme revelations; of the WikiLeaks result being against internal imposed government by the Chinese populism is urging in Europe growing dissident voices; stategreater transpar the media and a more control over policy;ent the illegal and recall wiretapping practices of became which bungling media empire, Rupert Murdoch’s its hand. own the victim of overplaying and pose of climatechange in news coverage the question to ecology” “media of what the term could still mean. Or, 108–109 ------, but also by the publication of a Collateral Murder Yet these revelations, no matter and shocking these revelations, how Yet The leftist camp WikiLeaks as is divided on an activist to how take knows case, adIn any WikiLeaks always crisis areas of Honduras and Pakistan,crisis of Honduras areas and of course the collection extensive of diplomatic documents—the “ca very ble files.”WikiLeaks Time and again, has caused conster and desperation on the side of the people, parties, and institutions compromised by the revelations. historically important, do not seem to of be merit the only it has WikiLeaks: above all demonstrated that an anarchis tic of dealing with reporting way is a public good and can democratic effects.to effectuate this, generate In order infra installedWikiLeaks has moreover a “custom-made” ance created to exponential the by threats in imminent the access to information, historiography, over of control crease of speech, of dis freedom freedom movement, of freedom What does WikiLeaks of questioning? sidence, and freedom framework? subversive within this tohave offer and has its difficulty interpreting phenomenon properly man front is mistrust of effects. one hand, there On the who accordingJulian Assange, to as a some has emerged dictatorial and self-styled leader celebrity who has piloted WikiLeaks into hand, with populist On the other waters. the publication thousands of documents, of of hundreds the WikiLeaks motto, without accountabil “[n]o power caused and an force has unleashed an undeniable ity,” inspiring chaos in geopolitical same time, the relations. At news media can impact hardly on the regular WikiLeaks’s be underestimated. vantage global of a momentum and capture attention with as witnessed im by the shocking new revelations, not only ages of and in Iraq amount of documents on the wars tremendous Afghanistan, the 779 documents on the American deten on the of files the hundreds tion camp at Guantánamo Bay, ------video than program available online at: available http://www. program democracynow.org/2011/7/5/exclusive_ julian_assange_of_wikileaks_philosopher. Collateral Murder Assange assumed that despite 1 - Democracy that he was amazed by the fact that the that he was amazed by the fact How can we arrive at a correct assessment of all the dif at a correct can arrive we How Assange’s media logic became almost palpable he when Assange’s

work of action? With this splintering of perspectives, With what of action? work unites to that not only find an answer in order is necessary a democraticcounterbalbut also action spurs and offers ferent levels and scalesand importanceof levels ferent connected to WikiLe construct productive frame aks and subsequently a truly sange doctrine that has evoked the requisite restraint and and requisitesange doctrine the restraint that has evoked expect to in a camp normally have that one would reserve supported leftist-activist him—the camp. and tendentious manner, the truth was more served by Fox by Fox served the truth was more and tendentious manner, “truth” appears to be CNN. Assange’s than by the prudish ideologya videographic truth, an almost of transparent media penetration. It this aspect is precisely of the As the families of the victims. of the the families publication had condemned WikiLeaks’s that Fox the fact of the video images and treated the material in a biased more images of the shocking more hail of bullets had the first broadcastedhad at which CNN, that it wanted the pretext to under screen spare a blank the philosopher Slavoj Žižek on the American radio show show Žižek on the American radio the philosopher Slavoj Democracy Now had shown program populist News and nationalistic Fox seems tothe same logic be that lies at the bot following tomof the escapades empire. of the distressed Murdoch stated reporter with Goodman in a conversation Amy and order to preserve “the respect, truth.” In that to preserve let us above order “truth” is a produced that media effect!all not forget With directed, campaigns, media-savvy WikiLeaks its cleverly content of the “hard data” itself. The ultimate The consequence data” itself. content “hard of the conclusionof this goes further the seemingly than much pathetic battles in wage he must believes Assange Julian !, broadcast interview, 58:05 min, !, broadcast interview,

Now the of video and transcript 2011, 2 July versation with Amy Goodman, with Amy versation Julian Assange and Slavoj Žižek in con Žižek Julian Assange and Slavoj 1. 110–111 - (New - - mailing list with NRC Handelsblad Handelsblad NRC Nettime Oudenampsen reacted 3 The question of the extent The question the extent of the World’s Most Dangerous Website Dangerous Most Website the World’s 2011). Publishers, Crown York: 2 Inside 4 Perhaps less obvious is the support is the less obvious Perhaps has that WikiLeaks with Geert conversation Lovink, mediaIn the following appeared in various European papers and online forums. It papers and online forums. appeared European in various in the Dutch was published newspaper WikiLeaks telt alleen de banal the headingunder “Voor WikiLeaks is That Counts for iteit het spektakel” van [“All the Banality the Spectacle”]. of this piece the to fiercely through Theses, 13 [“12 the article stellingen, ongelukken” 13 “12 Disasters”]. in which Assange hasAssange beenwhich in thwarted prosecuted and in corporations. and by bothAmerica government the art the Less world. from obvious because,received as the Domscheit- Daniel WikiLeaks coworker accountformer of attitude art towards is, to Assange’s demonstrates, Berg reserved. rather put it mildly, art,to could WikiLeaks benefitfrom which versa, or vice connectedis closely the question of how to the general toWikiLeaks strategy and relates global developments it can and how contribute relations, power to the redis of a perspective social for action and cultural and covery emancipation. of the Institutetheorist and founder of Network Cultures, Oudenampsen, politicaland Merijn scientist and sociolo of generations gist, allied both with different of whom are and activists, the dilemmas outlined above come hackers contexts. Lovink in varying and Oudenampsen to the fore contributed to a public discussion greatly conducted both online and offline aboutWikiLeaks, sometimes upholding standpoints.seemingly different Lovink In December 2010, a polemic piece Riemens aboutcoauthored with Patrice Theses on WikiLeaks,” which WikiLeaks, titled “Twelve Wikileaks: My Time with Julian at Wikileaks: Assange See Daniel Domscheit-Berg, See Domscheit-Berg, Daniel 2. - - - - WikiLeaks has received support,WikiLeaks has received in itself not surpris What To Do? What To 1970s on the war in Vietnam, has been meanwhile exert in Vietnam, the war on 1970s between parallels to ing himself on countless draw forums once he was how assailed as and the way a whistle-blower Media Award. Slavoj Žižek has expressed positive Žižek has expressed senti Slavoj Media Award. fight;Daniel while ments about and Assange’s WikiLeaks whose in the Pentagon information leaked Ellsberg, Papers that thus far have had little have or no attentionthat thus far in the media. received In the meantime, WikiLeaks and Assange have the Amnesty including International UK awards, various the help of volunteers to collective the help of volunteers translate information audience. The tactic a larger WikiLeaks for by provided is to cables of mass journalism publish behind this form reacted (Distributed with DDoS attacks of Service) Denial WikiLeaks’s companies card on credit that had frozen additionally and devoted assets (Maestro and PayPal) attempt with Crowdleaks”—an tothemselves “Operation sentencing and execution. the hacktivist collective which Anonymous, from ing, made by WikiLeaks is evidenced by the reactions, which made WikiLeaks is evidenced by the reactions, by which legal calls action of for the freezing varied from and have assets, to repeated exhortations Assange’s for WikiLeaks’s mation against war the goings-on of what still be may as countries one of the most powerful regarded in the That its is at stakeworld. power due to the revelations So far, the fiercest reaction WikiLeaks the fiercest to has in been So far, that one considers when strange is not which the US, to appears bethe platform waging an emphatic infor larger ideas, never returns to its size.” original returns ideas, never larger structure. In short,structure. beginning the only is WikiLeaks a of Wendell Oliver thinker quote the conservative To promise. “[t]heHolmes, once mind, to expanded of the dimensions 112–113 - - - NRC NRC Was . NRC , whose editors met with as a platform the most important as a platform —by discussing the literary qualities of the —by discussing the literary NRC The New York Times The New York At the time, you criticized the time, you the publication of At Merijn Oudenampsen: I think WikiLeaks gives visibil gives I think WikiLeaks Oudenampsen: Merijn was printed. This sort of case is a typical illustration of classical position on the functioning ’s media as a mouthpiece of the establishedof Western but in the Nether That is certainly the US, true for order. immediately don’t expect it. you lands WvW: ity to filtering the process in the traditional media, and if not a tactic, of publiciz has been a strategy, that there By in a particular narrative ing the WikiLeaks manner. focusing on the personage the spectacle, of Assange, character the bodyguard, the stories about Gaddafi’s happened or—as in the Dutch paper of Sarkozy, Handelsblad cables, it was possible with the more to dealing avoid fundamental of content. in terms issues On the one seem tohand, this would point to as lazy is journalism, it could often case the On the other, in the Netherlands. such of a conscious been strategy, also the result have as with to decide what to in order Washington from bureaucrats a cable downplaying and what not to. Afterward, publish was purposely program rocket of the Iranian the threat while an articlenot published, opposite with an slant Patrice Riemens and Geert Lovink’s text in text and Geert Lovink’s Riemens Patrice the choice of this paper all, took a After you? point criticism of for stance conservative rather on WikiLeaks. of the phenomenon. This raises the question of the of the question raises This phenomenon. the of camp is still capable alternative the to which extent celebrated processual putting only Holmes’s not of but also passion WikiLeaks, concerning on the agenda it. implementing successfully ------, 13 December , 13 Nettime Holmes draws draws Holmes 5 , no. 8 (2005), p. 49 (Guattari’s 49 (Guattari’s p. 8 (2005), , no. Open: Cahier on Art and the Public “Transparency and Exodus: On Politi Exodus: and “Transparency in the Mediated Democra cal Process cies,” Domain italics). 13 ongelukken,” ongelukken,” 13 online at: www.nettime.org/Lists- 2010, Archives/nettime-nl-1012/msg00020. html. Félix Guattari Félix in Brian Holmes, quoted See stellingen, Merijn Oudenampsen, “12 5. 4. - , 12 Eurozine , see Geert Lovink NRC , 11 December 2010, , 11 December 2010, Willem van Weelden: In his article “Transparency In his article “Transparency Weelden: van Willem of WikiLeaks has been less in the news lately. The me lately. has been less in the news WikiLeaks of behav an item on Assange’s attention from skips dia’s scandal symptoms ior to about the next the peripheral passion with respect to WikiLeaks? In the discus passion to WikiLeaks? respect with initially seem you to of the two sions on WikiLeaks, be diametrically opposed it comes when to a critical the content and process interpretation. the same, All character in that they resist stereotyping, pigeon stereotyping, resist in that they character the of divisions left-right and unequivocal holing, about what But -wing’s political arena. power cessual calling, a processual passion.” a processual calling, cessual certain between and a parallel activism of forms experimentalprocessual art: a said to have are both Democracies,” the cultural critic Brian Holmes quotes critic quotes Brian Holmes the cultural Democracies,” Guattari: Félix from “What is it that separates the left but a pro nothing it is the right?. . . Fundamentally, workings of power. workings in the Mediated Political On Process and Exodus: WikiLeaks, the conversation explores where there is room is room there where explores the conversation WikiLeaks, per social are for and political there and where change spectives can that contribute of the to transparency greater This conversation modifies their differences of opinion opinion of modifiesdifferences their conversation This somewhat contains and incontrovertible no statements or detailed solutions. of Departing the phenomenon from

severkoop/NH/2010/11/20101211___/2_01/ article1.html NRC Handelsblad NRC online at: http://digitaleeditie.nrc.nl/los and Patricia Riemens, “Voor WikiLeaks WikiLeaks “Voor Riemens, and Patricia spektakel,”telt alleen de banaliteit het van en.html. For the Dutch version of the text text the of the Dutch version en.html. For that appeared in the July 2010, online at: http://www.eurozine. 2010, July com/articles/2010-12-07-lovinkriemens- “Twelve Theses on Wikileaks,” Theses on Wikileaks,” “Twelve See Geert Lovink and Patricia Riemens, See Riemens, Geert and Patricia Lovink

3. 114–115 - - - -

7

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The New New The

or or Post-propaganda NRC Post-propaganda (Amsterdam: Fonds BKVB, 2009). BKVB, Fonds (Amsterdam: Jonas Staal, These are developments developments These are 6 7. (New York: The York: (New , which are clear to book a clear me. But are , which has just It is striking that it is above all artists It is striking that it is above who and other old media manipulate and have a a old media manipulate and other and have The Filter the Bubble: What Engaged Art and the Journey Out of Out of Art and the Journey Engaged the Reservation WvW: are reacting to WikiLeaks in an interesting manner, manner, in an interesting to reacting WikiLeaks are less the case activ while this is much with regular critical rather views expressed have ists. Merijn, you to reaction the on engaged art, in your example for the artist by Jonas Staal,essay York Times York of discusses that new forms Pariser come Eli out by processes filtering fine that by very generated power of Google, to users information personalized offer Facebook, distributors without information and other of it.being aware their really leadthat could to truly new insights into me the how work. no They century of the twenty-first dia powers the top but down, by manipulation from work longer being people are served by giving that they the feeling being are taken that they themselves, and can develop their subject is being and that addressed. seriously I seeworkings of filtering, new information With about curious this because and I am extremely power, I think that new activist above strategies all should that the a while now for known focus on that. We’ve NRC certain agenda. To what extent do you feel that the art world’s sup that the art feel world’s do you what extent To or important is interesting port WikiLeaks of the for As agenda? further propagation the transparency of of processes take that of place at the Internet is Hiding from You Internet 2011). Penguin, 6. Eli Pariser,

- - - NRC - is part that ought to of a world , it did not have that effect., it did not have This NRC Nettime . Judging from the reactions I received, there there the reactions I received, . Judging from with the intention it being of a critical piece. In In the first instancefirst the In head the by shocked was I , WikiLeaks was attacked, WikiLeaks as being and irresponsible Nettime MO: on I think that’s actually turned out to be little sympathy. all, After strange. the context of the be I thought it would goodis why exam to thoroughly this pointine precisely in the discussion that unfolded thesis: “WikiLeaks is a goodthesis: “WikiLeaks thing.” Geert and Patrice had written originally the online mailing list the text for Nettime stand least, happen. At but that didn’t WikiLeaks, up for because moreover gave, the it the impression that’s zero thesis—the first had omitted Lovink and Riemens’s NRC was castAssange asmegalo with an eccentric figure mania. Of all places, the article appeared context, in this writtenand then by people expect to would you whom by the paper itself, not writtenby Geert I and Patrice. by the paper itself, was indeed about concerned the context the in which piece appeared: in the Dutch media, in the including line, “All That Counts for WikiLeaks is the Banality is the WikiLeaks Counts That of the for “All line, to out that turned be formulated Spectacle.” However, it? I absolutely that. from cannot explain after But all, I’m generation. a different have sympathy for something like WikiLeaks. Where was WikiLeaks. Where something like for sympathy have fect on the creativity It on the curtailsfect of collective subversion. concretely, possibilities Very the many are. that there me think makes always the filtering of information artists, it is good to time that criticism to repeat from new strategies. any time, generates So longer but it no but with its ef with itsveracity, a problem have I don’t Geert Lovink: I have indeed moved beyond Chomsky’s Geert Lovink: indeed moved beyond Chomsky’s I have it has although 1980s, lost the early criticism from with activists In working and nothing of its validity. 116–117 - - - - You’re You’re 10 - (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota of (Minneapolis: University 1999). Press, Disagreement: Disagreement: , trans. Julie Rose Yes, the zoos being the gates down, are torn Yes, It is most certainly activism,that there and I think But was Brian Holmes right in saying that saying right in was Brian Holmes But MO: MO: That’s because the reservations are being because are dis the reservations That’s says. That’s just been again. put on the agenda says. That’s not feeding the animals open, and they’re thrown there an international point from of view, But anymore! is certainly I think this is a question of convergence. are also parallels with art—but not in the Netherlands. with art—but also not in the Netherlands. parallels are tradition strong of depoliti has a very The Netherlands callscization the logic and of what Jacques Rancière of compartmentalization,“police”: or pigeonholing. in the new media world, or you’re world, in the literary sandbox to in. has their own play et cetera. Everybody out of the The point art of all that is engaged is to “get as the philosopher and writer Jacqreservation,” Vogelaar into a new kind of reflexivity. . . . Activism is often Activism is often . . . into of reflexivity. kind a new aimed at effect,more at presentation on the streets,at based a claim making art while certain on a identity, that examin I think claims. can actually questionsuch interesting at the moment, ing and questioning is very not possiblebecause to in the case it’s of WikiLeaks, claim. clear very a make WvW: GL: mantled! there are parallels between activism and art, activism between parallels and that are there the condi Or are visible? obviously very are now they can identify a phenom no longer tions that we such and its spectacular as WikiLeaks such enon actions as activism? Politics and Philosophy See Jacques Rancière, See Jacques Rancière, 10. - - - - The Rise of the Crea the of Rise The If that’s the new the new If that’s 9 (Cambridge, MA: Basic Books, MA: Basic Books, (Cambridge, tive Class tive 2002). See Richard Florida,See Richard 9. - - Being and Nothing My criticism of Jonas Staal the arose from And now you end up with a form of new engage up with a form end you And now 8 MO: skills, a repertoire of competenciesskills, people enable that tosocial examine a reality in a totally manner, different existing to perspectives, to undermine stimulate people there is hardly any engaged the rest, any art all! For is hardly at there specific identities artist like and inter activist don’t of a series of terms in I think more est me that much. engagement, the old notion then utterly of the term escapes me. My criticism of Staal on was formulated the basisbecauseNetherlands in the of this difference, as interactive art was pushed under Tony Blair Blair Tony under as interactive art forward was pushed as the spearhead policy of the cultural Labour, of New a vision that was later supported Florida by Richard in his book industry. on the creative tion. about art that means interaction—it’s that in fact ment public. This notionengages with the of engagement Sartre, the existential notion of engagement involved Sartre, the existential involved notion of engagement responsibility it was impossiblea moral whereby not to take a position, because aloofness is also posi a called the new engagement. was The old engagement about intellectuals taking and writers a position, like With affair. the Dreyfus concerning “J’Accuse” Zola’s because it doesn’t take position any all. Jonas at Staal, whose artpart is considered movement, is of this socialsomeone contradictions who represents in his but does And that’s work, not take a position himself. discussion about the so-called engagedart” discussion “new in me surprises This new engagement the Netherlands. sange himself seems to have a tremendous disdain disdain a tremendous seemshimself sange to have art,for Domscheit-Berg. to according Daniel , trans. Hazel E. Barnes (London: Taylor (London: Taylor E. Barnes , trans. Hazel

ogy 1956). and Francis, ness: A Phenomenological on Ontol Essay See Jean-Paul Sartre, See Jean-Paul 8. 118–119 - - - I don’t think it’s anywhere near that bad. near that What anywhere think it’s I don’t MO: The release of the Pentagon took place Papers at WikiLeaks has released doesn’t even fall under the under fall hasWikiLeaks released doesn’t even Pentagon Papers, of “topcategory secret.” Ellsberg’s But the cynical politics revealed which behind the Vietnam is the man top secret at one time. Ellsberg were War, later is seen model as a great and who so years many certainly within the Democratic of democracy, defender to see It that WikiLeaks, on the is remarkable Party. basis less important of releasing much documents, is says organization. That as branded a semi-terrorist now a lot about the spirit of the times.The democrats also WikiLeaks, while the newspa for regard any have don’t Pentagon now that once the pers published are Papers WikiLeaks that matter, For Washington. by spoon-fed not exaggerate. I find must a modest that we plays role WikiLeaks made that the uprisings claim in Assange’s possiblethe Middle East arrogant. rather GL: many and very the height of the antiwar movement 1970s. in the late 1960s and early movements other almost impossible to seeIt’s those separately things in time, this moment in what At one another. from Looksocial place context we WikiLeaks? should is connecteding back, think that WikiLeaks I would not so to much social to but movements, the major that occurred during the periodevents of the finan caused which of the erosion cial crisis of 2008–2009, capitalist legitimacy. parallel to the transparency movement, WikiLeaks has WikiLeaks movement, to transparency the parallel itself into position the maneuvered an international of that in And practices? abusestribunal faulty and of outside the legal place themselves they doing so, frameworks? ------Does the tearing down of those Does of the tearing old pigeon down The problem is that the process is that the of political The problem awak WvW: You could also question extent to the these which erup You ists have acquired the same investigative attitude same investigative acquired the ists have as artists. understand They better much another one now. because the activist identity, the certitude becauseof being a activist the identity, exists. Such no longer example, for or a squatter, worker activ many disappeared. So, have identity frameworks dictatorial power, and so forth, but at the same time it dictatorial power, media also be made it much must said that those very that, in say easier to up dissidents. pick Could you holes and reservations produce an effect of trans produce an effect holes and reservations parency? Spring became because Arab The famous on social effect media supposedly had a corrective your own is radically shattered. is radically own your was the case erup in and Greece, or with the smaller think of that effect, I primarily change, With tions in Italy. of in a reservation the logic of being away whereby shut they no longer are the result of a cumulative growth of growth of a cumulative the result are no longer they political organization. as such despair, of alienation, of great tions the result are because of Facebook, those the result uprisings are but because do not understand we political such how eruptions come about. that clear it is abundantly For may alsomay be in true of what is happening right now so fo are the Middle East. also we why And that’s cused on the so-called not “Facebook Revolutions”, to call them, are no longer the consequence the longer to no of politi call are them, the most,cal per organization se. At could say you that a political it. organization comes forth from That GL: Everywhere, occurring gradually. is no longer ening is taking up” of gigantic eruptions. “waking the form uprisings, resistance,Revolts, want you or whatever 120–121 ------, and so, and Assange is rather ambiguous in that regard: in that regard: ambiguous Assange is rather Yes, but there has also been a reversal in that has also been but there a reversal Yes, That’s also a difficulty. On the one hand, I On the one hand, see the also a difficulty. That’s WvW: The New York Times, Der Spiegel, Guardian The York New The deal publicity American the forth. a great Within world, about goes what on behindis known closed the of doors between the relation Sachs Goldman Sachs, Goldman and the political-financial elite, abuses within or other news the or another, way but in one world, the financial find that I contra mainstream. is never on this coverage diction the spectacle interesting: the personalization or it possible to WikiLeaks what makes get for is precisely to through the mainstream. on the one hand he argues that WikiLeaks should be should that WikiLeaks on the one hand he argues the ego; on the seen as troop that forswears a storm con an almost populist program, it seems like other, what is publicized. choice of the sidering GL: that, Before took which regard, place 2010. in early celebrity status The question was not an issue. is, The obvious exactly what motivated that reversal? GL: the effortsWikiLeaks of hackers, from perspective of become have they a productive partand how of facili the perspec from tating openness, and on the other, tive of the crisis of investigative and quality journal indeed we gamble that if you Can ism in general. quality in that area,have it will also lead to a political personalization It out that turns is one of the reversal? facilitatingcrucial with that, problems I have factors. because bet if you on celebrity strategy instead of the seeking out the pre quality of diligently of the work, a lot and describing then them, cise of power workings right now. facing gets lost. we’re the dilemma That’s - - - - - , no. 26 (June 2011), online , no. conversation-with-julian-assange-part-ii/. in the as the whistle-blower known marily he 1998, In so-called affair. building fraud duplicate accounts his discovered held by construction Tjuchem the Koop employer, public. and made them firm, e-flux journal at: http://www.e-flux.com/journal/in- Ad Bos is a Dutch contractor who is pri Ad 12. interview with Hans-Ulrich Hans-Ulrich with interview , no. 25 25 , no. Do you share his analysis that this his analysis share Do you e-flux 11 e-flux journal That’s a fascinating point. That’s The spectacle that So, then, do you also agree with Assange, Assange, with alsoagree you do then, So, So here, too, we are only at the beginning at only too, of are So here, we 12 MO: Yes, but I think that WikiLeaks is only a start I think that WikiLeaks is only but at Yes, Geert refers to in “Twelve Theses on Wikileaks” seems Theses on Wikileaks” to in “Twelve Geert refers part an inherent of gettingto into form newspapers like Transparency and Media Strategy Transparency WvW:

and comparable initiatives play a big role in this. An role and comparable initiatives a big play important question could we do to is what facilitate that process. ing legal action to gain recognition in order what for he did. transparent.the process of making power WikiLeaks transparent. be I think it would good if things devel the oped in that direction. Netherlands, In the more whistle-blower is stillconstruction undertak fraud GL: making those lobbying and consultation structures are made there? are constellation be cannot controlled within the tradi be made trans that it should and tional frameworks manner? in an alternative parent governmental circles and can be found in patronage, in patronage, and can be found circles governmental big and the market, the stock the banks, of the lobbies the most important and that corporations, decisions as he cites in the located is increasingly outside that power Obrist,

“In Conversation with Julian Assange, with Julian Assange, “In Conversation Hans-Ulrich Obrist, by II,” interview Part assange-part-i/. the continuation For see Julian Assange, the conversation, of (May 2011), online at:(May http://www.e-flux. com/journal/in-conversation-with-julian- Julian Assange, Part I,” interview by by I,” interview Part Julian Assange, Hans-Ulrich Obrist, Julian Assange, “In Conversation with “In Conversation Julian Assange, 11. 122–123 - - - - - The point the spectacle is that and the banality In any case, there is a problem with the free is a problem case, there In any MO: I think that it has I think that had, and will continue to have, are precisely what make it possible what make precisely to into break the tra are ditional media. think that selective I of informed groups people be and networks will increasingly better able to do something with the less visible or sensational infor of diplomats or jour mation it further—think and spread WvW: the Internet and the degree to which that information and the degree to that information which the Internet peopleattracts public attention. a few only I think that in Pakistan and WikiLeaks up to of dateare on the role Honduras. dom and independence of the regular media, the regular which of dom and independence or in some instances above, censor from censored are move see transparency again, you Then themselves. the tradition that come from as WikiLeaks ments such to openness way and try to find their hackerdom of the Internet. means of by A gap seems to be arising vital,between important on published information foreign policy of the US, publicizing them has had only has only had them publicizing US, the of policy foreign media effect. mainly and a relative GL: itsCablegate,With WikiLeaks big influence. a very to country from becomehas by now travelling a circus that know it, wouldn’t follow you don’t If you country. all sorts of things happened in Pakistan last month many that very and was involved, WikiLeaks in which because right now going on in Honduras of things are that could indeed the impression have WikiLeaks. You have things that will these are yet over, it is already I seeconsequences in the long term. it in the world that goes further as change much than a cultural more headlines. today’s - - - - Archief/Media/Artikel-Media/Internet denker-Geert-Lovink-WikiLeaks-moet- zich-niet-met-de-inhoud-bemoeien..htm. Through the greater use greater the Through 13 - , 16 Febru Vrij Nederland Vrij But at the same time you might also wonder, same time might also at the wonder, But you In an interview, you inferred that the Internet the Internet that inferred you In an interview, Yes, a direct connection, direct a because this touches Yes, WvW: WvW:

a few jokes were made about world leaders. But as But leaders. made about world were jokes a few within them as hidden the topics placing far that are to the or bringing transparency goes, on the agenda kind of emancipatory function WikiLeaks can still function WikiLeaks emancipatory kind of were example, for public opinion. The cables, for have was of debated a bit trivia and in the news; briefly with all the databases what being put online, that are WikiLeaks is part agenda. Its entire of the hacker though Assange even rhetoric there, comes from or less driftedhimself has more in the direction now of media.mainstream upon the agenda of all hackers. That agenda is about That agenda upon of all hackers. the agenda also about of net the issue openness, and currently militant is a long list of There issues. neutrality. nection with the problematic of WikiLeaks here? WikiLeaks nection of with the problematic GL: ronments. On the other hand, there is an increasing is an increasing there hand, On the other ronments. and regulation commercialization, control, amount of is a con there on the open Internet. believe Do you has entered a new phase. a new has entered away social of media, being drawn actually people are exchang and more and more open Internet, the from taking controlledes are envi place within private, Internet culture. Internet answer is to to this relate answer decision the made Assange to and newspapers timeat that to regular with work cease utilizing capacity organizational his own of the

Maurits Martijn, at: online 2011, http://www.vn.nl/ ary met de inhoud bemoeien,” interview by by de inhoud bemoeien,” interview met Geert Lovink, “WikiLeaks moet zich niet niet moet zich “WikiLeaks Geert Lovink, 13. 124–125 - - As far as protest goes, crisis As far I think that the But couldn’t it also be that, couldn’t But as Geert argues, MO: We should of course see course of perspective the in this should of We actually has had a stabilizingchalleng on the effect and resignation is setting the in. With ing of power, to movement, is a reactive but becutbacks, there sure, mustn’t the vast majority of the population “We thinks: can to just have tighten our belts.” You complain, we’ll criticism. is less room for That also was see that there of a crisis incites the threat demonstrated in the 1930s: authority than resistance.a proclivity for rather WvW: different social and political different processes are taking GL: the neutralization parallelization and of the antiwar the administration.by the Obama That’s movement thing aboutstrange this medium of hacktivism: it has an oddwith the political relation reality of the protest has in the thesis believe that there I don’t movements. been a “virtualization of protest,” or paralyzation that is moving to of the street the energy the libidinous this that shown have space in Egypt The events online. still the question the case. not there’s But is obviously to these actually do relate of how things another. one been any have lost, is no longer The relations there because many connection. so very organic Maybe it’s processes taking are place at the same time. That should deter Maybe one follow. it difficult to makes and politicizationmine that paralyzation occurring are as totally simultaneously, movements. contradictory indicateThis would no that the concepts use are we is an places there many or that in very valid, longer acceleration processes of going on that might indeed be occurring simultaneously not directly but that are related to another. one - - - - I think that the way in which the Afghanistan in which war I think that the way WikiLeaks has anticipated WikiLeaks well situations very MO: played an importantplayed in this. role in a newspaper. That way, a tipping point can be in That way, in a newspaper. whole And the duced. has WikiLeaks done this superbly. aspectproblematic of spectacle and personalization has also open it up with graphics. The great challenge is to challenge also open The great with graphics. it up datadeal with that enormous and information to of flow it into that can be translate a digestible published form of information, which was presented in a very accessible was presented which in a very of information, On the basis people of that information, can manner. projections with Googlemake can Maps, designers and logs were presented is illustrative. The press conference, conference, presented The press is illustrative. logs were how know in the papers.published . . I don’t it was how deal can indeed but a great be all of that was prepared, it, because if only from learned amount incredible of the WvW: spectacular aspect, and edited of translations versions media.up in the mainstream the leaks can end new things cannew things be out. brought a for change won’t That all sorts are attacks of while. There infrastructure on the but this is a practiceof WikiLeaks, that can also increas beyond the the local at That way, develop level. ingly The huge volume of the leaks also makes that pos that the leaks also of makes volume The huge time political a sible: crisis every occurs, the database can be basis on the searched of a certain and theme, nalists, for instance.nalists, for possible, WikiLeaks makes What because things other among the cables, of database is a to, day. accessed,canthat studied and be every referred

mum effect. Can we learn something from that?from we learn something mum effect. Can by puttingby out certain the right at precisely information maxi their could have moment, so that the revelations place simultaneously nowadays? That the reactions Geert Lovink (born 1959) is an Amsterdam-based media theorist and are conservative, but that this conservatism is simul- Internet critic, founder and researcher at the Institute of Network Cultures, Amsterdam, and author of Zero Comments: Blogging and taneously the germ of an unprecedentedly strong Critical Culture (London and New York: Routledge, 2007) and Networks protest? Without a Cause (Cambridge and Malden: Polity, 2012). Merijn Oude- nampsen (born 1979) is an Amsterdam-based sociologist and political theorist. Willem van Weelden is a writer and researcher specializing MO: If you look at the Middle East, you see a completely in new media and culture. This is an edited version of the conversation different constellation than in the West. It might be that took place on 29 June 2011 and first appeared inOpen: Cahier on connected with the global system economically, but Art and the Public Domain, no. 22 (2011), pp. 60–73, copyright: SKOR | Foundation for Art and Public Domain and NAi Publishers, 2011. Re- culturally and politically it is an entirely different situa- printed here with permission of the authors and SKOR. tion, of course. In Greece and Spain, various movements are trying to politicize the present crisis, but there is no perspective whatsoever for action. So I’m rather cynical about it. In Europe, people are again seeing that some- thing like politics exists, that there is something like ideology. That is new, but I do not see a way out, no line of escape.

GL: The question is whether you should seek those lines of escape within the given frameworks of “capi- talistic realism,” as the writer and theorist Mark Fisher describes it, for example.14 Those frameworks are fairly hopeless, so if it has to be about a perspective of action, the question is whether to place it inside or outside of those frameworks. Without becoming nationalistic, you would have to get much more into local initiatives, which are separate from the global infrastructure in which the Netherlands is so fervently participating. The dismantling of the global infrastruc- ture: that might be a good place to start.

14. Mark Fisher, Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? (Winchester, UK: Zero Books, 2009). Liquid Democracy Will Do Away With Parliament

Dirk Poot Interviewed by Jonas Staal 130–131 - - - - - [Pirate Bureau] formed in 2003. Rather than Rather in 2003. formed Bureau] [Pirate Jonas Staal: of history the explain briefly you Could the Pirate of formation and the movement the Pirate Parties in particular? to open-culture relationship a direct there Was JS: as Bay? The Pirate such platforms Piratbyrån Bureau was established, was already was already was established, Bay The Pirate Bureau police the attackunder and the Ameri the Swedish of Association. understood that can Copyright The Bureau needed a dramatic change. to undergo laws copyright being and translated were laws new in which The way according to outdated,interpreted antiquarian principles lead to becoming copyright importantwould more than the right, civil affecting the right to privacy, other any communication,right to free informa of freedom and the things. tion, among other resisting the label of “pirate,” the Pirate Bureau chose to Bureau Pirate the the label “pirate,” of resisting cause.its own The this name for and mobilize embrace the establishment spurred Bureau the Pirate creation of Pirate the first including organizations, new many of on out, Par Pirate there From in 2006. Party Sweden in more are there Today the world. over ties up all sprung internationally. Parties active Pirate than 70 had recognized that the Internet DP: Bureau The Pirate the become machine, a huge copying something of to pre-existing posed which problems of dynamics many the time By that the Pirate and outdated laws. copyright Dirk Poot: Lobby groups such as the Swedish Anti-Piracy Anti-Piracy as the Swedish such groups Dirk Poot: Lobby in the on to people involved had been referring Bureau as as 2001. early In re as “pirates” sharing of line culture sponse to these allegations, tank a think the name under of 132–133 - - - - - tal version of Swiss democracy? Moreover, if this tal democracy? of Swiss Moreover, version system succeeds, think that parliaments will do you by the Internet? be replaced fully eventually JS: In this new horizon, will voting be a permanent,JS: continuous, process—an daily accelerated digi DP: Yes, that might be the direction toward which we we which that might be the direction toward DP: Yes, tech a very approaching are we headed. Although are need intermediaries. will always we here, nocratic level laws. interpret People—not machines—should no doubt certain people in one’s social circle who know a know who social circle certain doubt no people one’s in peo allows particular democracy liquid in-depth: subject tople to approach This this person. delegatetheir votes the for allowing citizens by of the interest also protects delegate that the acts delegates of in the event removal interests. to citizens’ that is contradictory in a manner but to no choice have we a party, for vote we when Today, The whole traditional right-left package. its entire for vote still forced are we in politics and yet division is dissolving, comes it when tothis paradigm electingto within operate continu are These divisions left-right our governments. most in reality, whereas parliaments, upheld in ously principles a combination the different of people prefer ideologicalboth camps. by Liquid Democracy defended chance to citizens the basegives their decisions on the specific political orientationBuild at hand. issue of each inevitably entails a system a long process and ing such substantialwill require educational but I believe outreach, that, democratic feedback will actually liquid with time, it. know as parliamentary we the eradicate system ------interna movement. The corporations we are fighting are fighting are are The corporationsmovement. we JS: Could you expand on this notion expand of Liquid De Could you JS: mocracy? JS: So what is the exact role of a pirate in a parlia exact So what is the role JS: ment? political movement? JS: How significant metaphor the is How JS: pirate of the is state a pirate example, the movement?within For Parties the Pirate as a stateless regard you do less: sentatives from among their peers, basedsentatives among their peers, on their ex from pertise on particular subjects. a single person Of course, are but there or topic, issue on every becannot an expert DP: Liquid Democracy, or the liquid feedback system, is feedback system, or the liquid DP: Liquid Democracy, a digital people tool the ability that gives to permanently people to on all issues. It also select allows repre vote the kinds of laws we want or need. has or pro want The Internet we laws the kinds of vided us with these tools. functions as an intermediary between the public and the functions as between an intermediary but this mediation necessaryis no longer because law, at our disposal the technical means with have now we towhich communicate population with an entire about DP: Pirate Parties are experimenting with what we call with what we experimenting DP: Parties are Pirate do Our ultimate goal is to eventually Liquid Democracy. The parliament altogether. with the parliament away tions and their lobbyists through international coopera through tions and their lobbyists tion within parliaments. sarily say that it is a stateless that it is but an say sarily movement, tional stateless. Parties comprise the Pirate But a collective, stateless that fights the international movement corpora DP: That is a very interesting analogy. I would not neces not I would analogy. interesting DP: That is a very 134–135 - - - JS: The conservative right would say that this is an that this is an say right would conservative The JS: solution: bureaucracy-laden heavily and unnecessary insist to that peoplethey want be don’t occupied del towith politics, want choose don’t they different rather and that they’d issue, egates each different for years. four just vote once every And so see you this collective and anxietyJS: anger as a basisthe Pirate Party? for DP: I see the anger as a symptom to a problem and DP: to I see a problem as the anger a symptom to be a solution Liquid Democracy to that prob believe party think any be based I do not lem. should on anger. people of notice that a lot that there remains the fact But into anger. translates and this often is a huge problem, protest for votes is directed toward that anger Currently, I think that anger parties,like. parties, and the extremist the of transformation a radical be toward directed should itself. political system DP: People won’t have to mobilize themselves for every for themselves to mobilize have won’t DP: People place, is set in Once to. the system wish don’t if they thing, delegated people to votes other his or her one can have their trust. of worthy who are people be the case, more would DP: was truly then If this participating and there in elections in the Netherlands, we Nowadays also in society. be less anger would much parties protest on the rise becausesee and more more to or listening them, people that politicians not feel are a hand for enough do so long only they do listen, if they people Many feel to peoples’ votes. get in order shake the day-to-day from toothat politicians far removed are citizens. of lives ------politics itself intoa commons. That also demands social mobilization larger what is cur a much than takingrently place. JS: By declaring Liquid Democracy as one of its By declaring JS: main goals, the Pirate Parties aim to inscribe poli tics into the domain of the commons, or transform JS: This is the typeJS: of fundamental political critique the parliament. do not hear coming from that we es in voters’ sympathies and political sympathies positions.es in voters’ JS: The government you describe is a very flexible flexible describe you very is a government The JS: to be representatives re likely one in which one, are placed a continual on basis due to inevitable chang ment, so in as representatives to increase the number of the Dutch parliament. on. So, one radical change that I support is the removal that I support change is the removal one radical on. So, with the constitutional the Senateof and its replacement to the parlia chairs extra court, of over and the handing worst representatives in the world, which means that it is which in the world, representatives worst for the Dutch to or have parliament control difficult very prob too are many There the government. over influence people going and too is actually lems to what few check parison with other countries. lookparison the number at you with other If parliamentariansof country’s in a country the against the second are population, or third will notice we that you DP: We should be aware of the fact that the number of the number of that the fact of be aware should DP: We parliamentarians is lagging in com in the Netherlands son why we have had a representative democracy is be democracy had a representative have we son why cause technical of limitations—not because it is the best that representa say One might even to a country. rule way a country. ruling of worst” way is the “least democracy tive DP: That is indeed what we are striving for. The only rea The only for. striving DP: are That is indeed what we 136–137 - - - ] Or Jon Stewart if we’re lucky. ] Or Jon Stewart if we’re ] An informed citizenry is able to distinguish is able to citizenry distinguish ] An informed laughs laughs capacity to massive advertisement cam organize able control and influence public are paigns—they ease. greater opinion with much JS: [ JS: But does delegation But giving toJS: these experts not of one elite by another? the replacement simply imply does How this logic in a society work JS: as highly The voice of celebrities,mediatized people as ours? a media or the financial presence have who already celebrities from experts. I don’t know if we can of speak if we know celebrities experts. I don’t from society moment, becausean informed at the present so DP: experts. the new and Lady Gaga are Fry Stephen Where DP: [ at the same time, they feel that they still have to vote to vote stillhave they that feel they time, the same at the partyfor because support its they position the on the of dimension the repressive way, In this economy. propose that party accepted is damage. We as collateral most are feel they the issues on vote the people should important, and delegate to a specific their voice person the is better that this person suited feel to make if they right decision. chosenand a a given between is a difference DP: There can do about the current we much is not elite. There chosen elites. Political parties their parliamentar groom votes receive only and they and onward, youth ians from party loyal members, are that they demonstrate if they a merito of is more for striving the elite we’re whereas do not if they can take away you cratic elite whose power to according act their principles. - JS: So you strive for more common consensus. more for strive So you JS: people neighborhood. my entering is no If there to be program developed, then long-term structural political can defend you how against principles the of opinions? culture opinions. For example, I might want to push for for towant example, I might push opinions. For at the same time, but open borders, permanently lead to this would the idea that more I do not like JS: You imagine a much more permanent voting voting permanent more imagine much a You JS: process, the accompanying but is that people risk and conflicting will inevitably different many have for themselves. I am convinced that many members of of members I am convinced many that themselves. for about party their happy liberal not the conservative are But example. for position privacy, of on the issue party’s do about others. At the moment, political At partiesdo about others. are reduced to the status soccer with voters clubs, of like people capable thinking who are of rather fans, hardcore DP: Everybody cares more about certain more cares than they issues DP: Everybody position with actual arguments, you become aware that become you aware position arguments, with actual a protest. into a discussion, entered not you’ve will also become nuanced opinions as in their more a hold on to our we this engagement. of Right now, result to because is listening us. anger that no one feel But we once someone and starts to listens you countering your gaging in the decision-making process, their involvement their involvement gaging in the decision-making process, to the different all of to them be receptive will require discussion. people I imagine that given in a arguments there will, be who will be will, experts able to come up with there have as the one you such solutions issues for creative because en people will be actively raised. Moreover, just DP: I think you underestimate the number of people of the number that underestimate DP: you I think and should, to experts.will delegate There their votes 138–139 - - - - JS: What about university courses and other in What about courses and other university JS: that is not necessarily material or even formation JS: What does this mean, then, from a purely prac a purely does What from then, mean, this JS: tical standpoint? Does that booksimply it be will Art be befree? should free? Films should free? during the period between after the war and 1990, and 1990, during the period after between the war a decrease that coincides with the establishment of made a few copyright That strong laws. copyright strict sale of the off to live and enabled them happy authors now are writers number of but a large their books, of printed.work is no longer Through finding out that their their will be copyright, able to in reprint a change we again. works DP: That information should be free. It should not be be not It should be free. should That information DP: informa have if you but beer,” “free in the sense of free want you beto able do whatever should tion, you then with it. from artists Many on royalties who used to rely transitioned to the Kickstarter companies have record to want they when tell fans their they model, where It has directly. funds for them an album and ask make still time are and time fans again, that been proven, The same like. in the music they money willing to invest copyright The idea that the current counts writers. for an artist for can way be remunerated is the only system it has been Furthermore, false. is simply work his or her artists of disappear into that the works oblivion shown than when copyrighted world sooner strongly much in a is an inter Commons license is used. There a Creative the books they of Amazon.com, put out by esting graph see that they You in their warehouses. stocked have the late nineteenth from works of volumes many have The graph War. century up until the Second World indicates books published a decreaseof in the number - - - - - The Uppsala . There are three main pillars mentioned main pillars in three are . There JS: Could you briefly expand on each of theseexpand on pillars? briefly Could you JS: mocracy. Having said this, do the Pirate Parties have this, do the Pirate Parties said have Having mocracy. non-negotiable such any any address principles that preconditions? necessary rupted media, Internet, an open et cetera. and free to even in order preconditions necessary Such are entertain the possibility Liquid De of implementing JS: What you’re suggesting is that in order for Liquid Liquid for suggesting in order is that you’re What JS: in to needDemocracy we have to work, already place certain conditions in society that cannot be obtained need an uncor voting alone. We through order to give the exchange of information and culture the and culture information of the exchange to give order is and culture information again. Exchanging right-of-way generations. been for doing have something that we DP: The main problem with copyright as it currently stands as with copyright it currently DP: The main problem in speech of and freedom of freedom is that it threatens to changed in be radically have laws Copyright formation. stipulations, any Pirate Party can add issues that are rel Party Pirate can that are issues stipulations, add any as long as do the principles to its hostingevant country, conflict with thosenot outlined in the declaration. the declaration: (1) we want to change copyright, (2) we copyright, we to want change (2) we the declaration: (1) open an want we and (3) patent towant change laws, citizens. These for privacy with guaranteed government these non-negotiable our three principles. Beyond are DP: contained These are call within what we Declaration bring a particular cause into but the ex public debate, the course its perts of trajectory. determine will then much of our media is focused on advertising, and much much and media our focused is of advertising, on much a more or in people. world, In an ideal on informing less celebrities age, still might information ideal be to able 140–141 - - - JS: What about the third principle: transparent gov transparent What about principle: the third JS: citizens? for and privacy ernment JS: So this is, in a sense, in a is, this So about democratizingJS: the economy itself? seeds of certain Even JS: patented are crops by Monsanto. This is essentially the organizations like privatization of our ecology. is a testament to the brilliance of the innovator, it also is a testament to the brilliance the innovator, of in the made that were to the errors all of you restricts The Industrial Revolu creating the invention. process of tion start did not was invented; the steam machine when it started the patent when at the moment on the contrary, out. space ran on the steam machine was there then Only potential improvements. granted for DP: Yes, and about democratizing the knowledge behind and about the knowledge democratizing DP: Yes, to also keep abusedthe patents. are order in Patents people number of access without large to an incredibly medicine. A patent the right to one essentially grants You something similar. making someone elseforbid from and if you medicine yourself, to make allowed not are dead. it,you’re for to pay afford can’t for in Europe big lobby a is currently and there DP: Yes, is basically patents, which a patentsoftware on math exampleof a patent that has to find an hard ematics. It’s The whole patent system results. yielded productive patents the time of terms needs the being, to For go. a patent—12 of length could be as reduced, the current when made sense century, years—only in the nineteenth much it’s Now slow. was very information of the cycle While a patent patents innovation. hinder Finally, faster. - - ? - The Uppsala Declaration JS: What about the issues surrounding patents, the What about surrounding the issues JS: second mentioned issue in digital these Must information of kinds in nature? also be open accessible and all? by good product, because they do not have the patents to good because have product, do not they fight thesewars. sible, and in the end there is not one less iPad or Galaxy or Galaxy one less iPad is not there and in the end sible, small for tabloid huge barrier a very sold. It creates only with a really companies attempting to the market enter The sums of money that are being invested in lawyers in lawyers being invested that are money of The sums financed all fines are of paid in the form and the rewards is making that pos The patent consumers. system by works for the inventor, nor for the public. You see it in You the public. nor for the inventor, for works for and Apple, Samsung between beingthe war fought model which is a rip-offexample—over is not. and which what are called “patent trolls,” companies that do not companies that do not trolls,” calledwhat are “patent patents but instead use all existing to produce anything, one patent with only into giv inventor the next pressure that no longer a system It’s invention. ing up his or her DP: The idea of the patent is to protect the inventor by by the inventor patentDP: the idea of is to The protect something with someone doing else from preventing patents up in the hands of But end invention. his or her the Internet is able to liberate information and expose it and expose is able to information liberate the Internet possible before. than was ever to audience a wider great way to expand and build upon knowledge. As I said As I said and build upon knowledge. to expand way great our to rule in order citizenry need we an informed earlier, time while at the same on our rulers. checking country, how of The open course initiative example perfect is a DP: Many of the more prestigious American universi prestigious more the of DP: Many and been putting years ties their courses for online have a suit. following It’s are in the Netherlands universities 142–143 ------JS: Do you think this responsibility Do you lies in citizens? JS: recently of Brazil, the president Dilma Rousseff, JS: the initiativelaunched to create a maximum secured afterInternet it came toUS had light that the spied citizens, herself. companies,on Brazilian and even a maximum secured some Internet for Is this push support? would thing that you DP: I think it’s good that they try to safeguard their citi their good try to safeguard that they DP: I think it’s being and companies spied on, but it won’t zens from govern be better for do the trick. much I think it would their citizens the necessary tools ments to give and education their communications to on the Internet keep and e-mail that browsers sure make should They safe. automatically built cryptography strong have programs are that people educated. are ensure We should in. They the sum from revelations the NSA by all overwhelmed become already numb. and people have 2013, of mer their is to notify and warn The task our government of DP: We need rebuild the Internet, and we needto we and Internet, the need re rebuild DP: We to build forgotten have the Internet. our usebuild of We minded. one In into Internet. the haven’t People privacy to envelopes licking from moved have we generation, into a society our information that placesprotect its en need all to see. for We on postcards, tire written history be won’t NSA the sure are one that we encryption, strong able to break. us. It’s do it for will not because governments DP: Yes, to use the huge amounts not too them much tempting for on their citizens. have currently that they information of the infor will delete that they promise they when Even do this. will actually they mation, that I doubt - ] which enables enables ] which Wet Openbaar Bestuur Wet through algorithmic datathrough analysis. largely state-controlled.largely about And let us not forget has which been the National Security (NSA), Agency able to usage control the Internet of citizens globally the Internet when we are living in the age of Edward in the age living of Edward are we when the Internet the obvious corporate inter are There Snowden? ests, not to that the fiber mention the fact cables are JS: How can justify delegating you How politics to JS: largely JS: Where doesParty the Pirate Where fundamentally JS: differ of secrecy?on issue

public interest or not.public interest format, unless a politician impartial unless of format, convinces a group judges that a certain for secret document has to remain the government it’s a certain time. amount of Currently, particularitself that judges whether is in the information DP: Any document that the government creates should should creates document that the government DP: Any automatically in a digital ideally be open to the public, government is making a large effort to not be to not controlled. effort large is making a government classified is information as It more seems that much than not. secrets” “state taking up to two years. All of the time and energy spent spent the timetaking of energy and All up to years. two access document is to a censored to have finally in order as necessary government by the explained justified and the be sure, To protection.” “state to ensure measures Information Law [ Law Information a terribly it’s government, documents from us to request obtain tolong process sometimes actually information, DP: When I say that we need more parliamentarians, need more we that say I DP: When is very it because also saying Dutch government the I’m of the Freedom have currently we Although opaque. 144–145 - - -

] Yes! But we don’t actually have leaders, we we leaders, have actually don’t we But ] Yes! laughs JS: And this is why you are the leader of a “leader are you And this is why JS: party?less” could convince wouldn’t you me that you How JS: abuse position your spokesperson? JS: So you envision a party envision you So auto-JS: that eventually genera space newer to for make destructs in order tions? You of power. essentially So you critique all forms JS: and all monopolies towant any disrupt of power. ferred to use the word “control.” to use the word ferred DP: [ spokespersons. have only will notice that their current actions run in a completely in a actions run noticewill current their that opposite direction. party, to any bea prerequisite DP: should I think that know even don’t We myself. speaking for only but I’m generations. newer the be will issues for what the key party at the and not to look at ideals, itself. have We those in power always are and there corrupts, Power the principles. At in the name of who abuse their power Party partymoment, the Pirate is the only that is able to some bring true ideals into parliament, and it is my this momentum to use effect of can make hope we that illusions that in no I have changes. However, some real Party will still the Pirate be as now from 50 or 60 years pristine as it is today. pre have I would negative. sounds DP: slightly Disrupted - - - - - overruled? movement, but that means that you would have to have would movement, but that means that you parties. other bring in a lot of voices from can How unwritten your trust that will not beyou principles protests in . This all boils to down our com protests in Turkey. and the democratizationmons: of politics, economy, the potential have of becoming a mass You ecology. JS: You are an international party are share and you You JS: positions with a variety of rising social movements, the Indigados in Spain and protest from ranging Occupy movement, tothe worldwide the Gezi Park jority of the Pirate Party voted to privatize healthcare, to people privatize education, or to foreign forbid accept you that? Would country. entering their from JS: We have discussed of main themes have the three We JS: But copyright,Pirate Parties: patenting, and privacy. a lot of fundamentalthis still leaves political princi ples untouched. Suppose, ma example, that the for liberties and rights. to lose It generations takes your four political current party look ideals. at any If you and com their goalspare with their stated the past, goals from you DP: After every four generations, you need you to your regain generations, four every DP: After as basic human rights are at the core of what drives the what drives as of basic core at the human rights are party. the of members DP: If this were ever to be the case, I would leave the to leave be the case, I would ever DP: were If this happen, would imagine that this I can’t But Party. Pirate ed notion that we’re fighting together against a common fighting a common against together ed notion that we’re terrorist enemy. people about the fact that they are being spied on. Right being Right on. spied are they that people about fact the shielding is seems it as government the Dutch if now, misguid the of the guise criticism, under from the NSA DP: There is nothing that guarantees that, apart from my personal ethics. If I were to give you a guarantee, I would be lying to you.

JS: So at the root of this leaderless movement that questions the concept of power we find something very human: trust.

DP: Indeed. Pirates are incredibly sensitive to any form of hierarchy, so you can certainly expect that they will get rid of me very fast if I were to abuse any power.

JS: This requirement of trust applies to you, as the spokesperson, but it’s clear that you also have an enormous trust in people. You seem convinced that the best of humanity will come only when power monopolies have disappeared.

DP: We have just discussed the issue of unalienable rights. What we need to do is make sure that an ongo- ing, self-renewing political structure that guarantees those rights, and makes sure that no one in power starts encroaching on those rights, comes into place. I truly believe that if we find ways to privately communicate on the Internet again—and I’m convinced that we will—the Internet will prove itself to be great tool with which to enact that change and renewal.

This is an edited transcript of the interview that took place on 9 Octo- ber 2013 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It is reprinted here with the authors’ permission. 159 New World Academy Reader #3: Texts by: Heath Bunting (artist, Leaderless Politics net activist, and cofounder of www.irational.org, Bristol), Becky Hogge (writer and technologist, New World Academy (NWA) invites Cambridge), Birgitta Jónsdóttir progressive political organizations (Pirate Party Iceland, Icelandic to share with artists and students Modern Media Initiative, cofounder their views on the role of art and of WikiLeaks, Reykjavík), Geert culture in political struggles. Lovink (media theorist and founder Together, they engage in critical of Institute of Network Cultures, thinking through concrete exam- Amsterdam) and Merijn Oude- ples of transformative politics and nampsen (sociologist and political develop collaborative projects that theorist, Amsterdam) with Willem question and challenge the various van Weelden (new media writer, frameworks of justice and existing Amsterdam), Matt Mason (writer models of representation. NWA and vice president of marketing proposes new critical alliances be- at BitTorrent, San Francisco), tween art and progressive politics, Metahaven (graphic design as a way to confront the demo- collective, Amsterdam), and cratic deficit in our current politics Dirk Poot (Pirate Party of the economy, and culture. Netherlands, The Hague).

The international Pirate Parties NWA is established by artist Jonas Staal in consist of about 40 political parties collaboration with BAK, basis voor actuele worldwide, initiated by the found- kunst, and functions as a department of the New World Summit, an artistic ing of the first Pirate Party in and political organization dedicated to Sweden in 2006. The parties pre- developing alternative parliaments for sent themselves as practitioners organizations banned from democracy. of leaderless politics, convinced as Future iterations of NWA will take place in a variety of political and geographic they are that the cult of leadership contexts throughout the world. has long undermined the possibil- ity of a true, direct democracy. The parties defend a process of permanent voting through an approach they term Liquid Democ- racy, in which online forums are maintained by each Pirate Party that give members the opportu- nity to continuously vote on new proposals. Despite the fluid nature of their programs, the parties nonetheless remain committed to defending several of their key causes, which include supporting a free and open Internet, common intellectual property, and the es- tablishment of strong privacy laws for Internet users. www.newworldsummit.eu www.bak-utrecht.nl