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The Speculative Archive for Historical Clarification is a long-term project that produces documents that investigate the political and cultural implications of state self-documentation. Its work focuses on the processes through which covert government activities are documented, classified for reasons of national security, and, at times, selectively declassified. Founded in 1999 by Julia Meltzer and David Thorne, SAHC has recently completed a series of interviews with government officials involved in the regulation and release of secret government information. Below are excerpts from three of these interviews.

Constructing the Digital Commons 

March 2003

Democracy can be understood in two notably distinct ways. In the institutional view democracy is understood as the interplay of institutional actors that represent 'the people' and are held accountable through the plebiscite; public votes, polls and occasionally referenda. The second view on democracy is radically different in that it sees the extent to which people can freely assemble, discuss and share ideas about vital social issues, organise themselves around these issues, and can freely voice their opinions in public fora, as a measure for just how democratic a given society is.

• public space,
• public domain,
• digital commons

Basic how-to guide for preserving fundamental rights on the Internet | Xnet 

Xnet publishes a Basic How-to guide for preserveing fundamental rights on the Internet
#Democracy – Rights and freedoms protected by the people: recent events in Catalonia as a case study

How-to guide: https://xnet-x.net/en/how-to-for-preserving-fundamental-rights-internet/
Even more basic PDF version.

• infopolitics,
• net.activism,
• info-activism,
• censorship

Chelsea Manning Begins Hunger Strike to Protest Bullying by Prison and US Government 

Today, [September 9] after years of requesting the care she needs for gender dysphoria, Chelsea Manning has released a statement about the start of her hunger strike.

Chelsea is demanding written assurances from the Army she will receive all of the medically prescribed recommendations for her gender dysphoria and that the "high tech bullying" will stop. "High tech bullying," is what Chelsea describes as "the constant, deliberate and overzealous administrative scrutiny by prison and military officials."

• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• wikileaks,
• Bradley Manning,
• Chelsea Manning

Disruption Network Lab #2: Cyborg 

Second Event of the Disruption Network Lab In cooperation with Kunstraum Kreuzberg /Bethanien
Kunstquartier Bethanien, Studio 1, Mariannenplatz 2, Berlin, May 29-30, 2015.

This two days event presents keynote speeches, panels and live cinema connected with the understanding of cyborg identities, while exposing power structures embedded in technology and our everyday life. The event is built around the international book launch of The Cyborg: A Treatise on the Artificial Man, written by political Sci-Fi theorist Antonio Caronia (Genoa, 1944 – Milan, 2013), published by Meson Press / Hybrid Publishing Lab, Leuphana University of Lüneburg. Starting from the book of Caronia and going beyond it, the analysis will culminate discussing the most recent frontiers of biotechnology and transhumanism.

• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• tactical technology,
• hacktivism

Why We Protest: Freedom of Information 

'Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.' -Article 19, United Nations Declaration of Universal Human Rights

• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• wikileaks,
• anonymous

The Day We Fight Back 

On Anniversary of Aaron Swartz's Tragic Passing, Leading Internet Groups and Online Platforms Announce Day of Activism Against NSA Surveillance.

Mobilization, dubbed "The Day We Fight Back" to Honor Swartz & Celebrate Anniversary of SOPA Blackout.

• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• surveillance

WikiLeaks: The Spy Files 

Mass interception of entire populations is not only a reality, it is a secret new industry spanning 25 countries.

It sounds like something out of Hollywood, but as of today, mass interception systems, built by Western intelligence contractors, including for 'political opponents' are a reality.

• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• wikileaks

Networked Disruption 

The current techno-economic paradigm of Web 2.0 has challenged notions of art and hacktivism within digital culture. The book "Networked Disruption" takes up this challenge and discusses a new perspective on political and social criticism. It simultaneously asks what are the conditions for hacker and artistic practices under Web 2.0 and how can social networking be seen to build on and incorporate artistic practices from the earlier decades of digital and network culture.

Through its theoretical discussion of contemporary art and hacktivism, the book maps out a new contradictory space for art and criticism: Networked disruption.

• network cultures,
• activism,
• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• hacktivism

Tandem Surfing the Third Wave: Part 3 

This interview was conducted between subRosa and Ryan Griffis via email correspondence during the first half of 2003.

• feminism,
• tactical technology,
• cyberfeminism

How Do I Prepare My Phone for a Protest? 

Simple steps to take before hitting the streets

Mass protests have broken out across the United States after a Minneapolis police officer killed black Minnesotan George Floyd while he was in police custody.

One thing demonstrators should be aware of before they head out is that their cellphones may subject them to surveillance tactics by law enforcement. If your cellphone is on and unsecured, not only can your location be tracked, but your messages and the content of your phone may also be retrieved by police either if they take custody of your phone or later by warrant or subpoena.

• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• tactical technology,
• street protest

Prisoners of Dissent — Locked Up for Exposing Crimes 

Berlin · May 12 2017:

Conference series by Disruption Network Lab e.V.

Whistleblowers and truth-tellers persecuted for blowing the whistle, critical thinkers and activists meet to discuss countermeasures to detention and repression.

The 11th event of the Disruption Network Lab to celebrate the upcoming freedom of Chelsea Manning and launch the new book by John Kiriakou (CIA anti-torture whistleblower). Directed by Tatiana Bazzichelli.

With: John Kiriakou (CIA anti-torture whistleblower, USA); Annie Machon (former MI5 intelligence officer, UK/BE);
Annegret Falter (Chair Whistleblower Netzwerk e.V., DE); Magnus Ag (Senior Programm Officer, Freemuse, DK/DE); Silvanos Mudzvova (Artist Protection Fund Fellow in residency at The University of Manchester, ZWE/UK).

• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• surveillance

How much of this is fiction. @ FACT, Liverpool 

Exploring the radical shift in the boundary between fiction and reality in a world increasingly governed by ‘post-truth’ politics

Exhibition @ FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology), Liverpool,  2 March 2017 - 21 May 2017
Public Opening: Thursday 2 March / 6 - 8pm / All galleries

• politics,
• art,
• tactical media,
• infopolitics,
• culture jamming,
• meme wars,
• tactical research

In solidarity with Library Genesis and Sci-Hub 

In Antoine de Saint Exupéry's tale the Little Prince meets a businessman who accumulates stars with the sole purpose of being able to buy more stars. The Little Prince is perplexed. He owns only a flower, which he waters every day. Three volcanoes, which he cleans every week. "It is of some use to my volcanoes, and it is of some use to my flower, that I own them," he says, "but you are of no use to the stars that you own".

• infopolitics,
• copyleft,
• info-activism,
• copyright,
• free culture,
• intellectual property,
• digital commons

Free Jeremy Hammond 

Jeremy Hammond Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison! Show Him He Still Has Our Support!
Jeremy Hammond is a 28-year-old political activist sentenced to 120  months in prison, with an additional 3 years probation upon his release, after pleading guilty to the Anonymous conspiracy to hack the private intelligence firm Strategic Forecasting (Stratfor). A longtime proponent of "hactivism," his actions are a form of electronic civil disobedience. He believes that "people have a right to know what governments and corporations are doing behind closed doors."

• campaign,
• war,
• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• anonymous,
• surveillance

Restore the Fourth 

Restore the Fourth to hold protests on July 4th for Fourth Amendment Rights. We're protesting to restore the Fourth Amendment:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated..."

• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• surveillance

Solidarity With All Hacktivists 

A demonstration in solidarity with Anonymous Hacker Jeremy Hammond occurred last night (December 3, 2013) at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn where he is temporarily being held. Just two weeks ago, the 28 year old was sentenced to 10 years in federal detention for cyber crimes. Amongst other high-profile breaches, he leaked confidential intelligence data to Wikileaks from a private intelligence firm known as Stratfor. Many consider Stratfor to be a "shadow CIA" operating under even less regulation and oversight than a government entity.

• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• anonymous,
• occupy,
• hacktivism

3rd ArtLeaks Working Assembly - Belgrade 

Cultural Center REX, Jevrejska 16, Belgrade, Serbia
Friday, 31st of August, 7pm, 2012

Participants: Corina L. Apostol, Maja Ciric, Pavle Cosic / KORNET, Nikola Radic Lucati, Vladan Jeremic, Selman Trtovac, Vesna Milosavljevic / SEEcult.org, Stefan Tiron, Noa Treister, The Bureau of Melodramatic Research, Marica Radojcic, Rena Rädle.
The 3rd ArtLeaks Working Assembly will be facilitated by Corina Apostol, The Bureau of Melodramatic Research, Stefan Tiron and Vladan Jeremic.

• art,
• campaign,
• infopolitics

The Global Intelligence Files 

LONDON - Today, Monday 27 February, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files - more than five million emails from the Texas-headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The emails date from between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defense Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment-laundering techniques and psychological methods.

• infopolitics,
• info-activism,
• wikileaks,
• surveillance

A call to the Army of Love and to the Army of Software 

October 2011.

The fight opposing financial dictatorship is erupting. The so-called 'financial markets' and their cynical services are destroying the very foundations of social civilization.

• politics,
• infopolitics,
• precarity,
• street protest,
• tactical camping,
• austerity