The top international theme this year was Wikileaks. Transparency platform already existed for some years, but until this year, the project has attracted worldwide sensation. By Wikileaks whistle-blowing was the secret betrayed uncover abuses to popularize. Wikileaks also became a pop culture phenomenon, which goes on long nerd circles. The popularization and the cult of celebrity around the founder Julian Assange led to mean that some colleagues withdrew from the project in the summer. For early next year, they have announced Openleaks with a new platform. More competition transparency platforms will the idea.
The discussion led to Wikileaks, but also to the fact that was discussed on the limits of expression and press freedom of information. In the United States as one of the core countries of these basic rights, a debate ensued, which may be up for basic rights in the network as a threat. So it is rather shocking to many journalists the importance of whistle blowing for their own work and freedom of the press have not detected, arguing against Wikileaks.
But there were other important issues in international political discourse network. The much-discussed on net neutrality, copyright and the untimely withdrawal of the Internet as a punishment in France. Above all, it was the questionable behind closed doors negotiating Anti-Piracy Agreement ACTA and a dangerous idea of the EU Commission: in Germany, just off the table, the EU wants to revive with a policy against child abuse, the dangerous idea of the power locks. In ten countries in the EU there are now power locks and more of these states, you can see how quickly this infrastructure will be extended to other issues.
The debates show that in 2011 not only the year of the new Whistle blowing Platform – it is also the year the power locks. Was recently criticized the engagement in information and freedom of expression Censorship in repressive countries, the idea seems more and more supporters in democratic countries to find. Both ACTA and the European network locks early next year will be voted in the European Parliament. Only now is the time to contact members and inform them about the violations of basic rights. It’s up to us, for our fundamental rights, freedom and to use an open network in a digital society. Before it’s too late.