Evading Shutdown, WikiLeaks Mobilizes Twitter Supporters (More Than 200 Twitter Mirror Sites Today)

[Hissyspit]

Source: Foreign Policy

Evading a shutdown, WikiLeaks mobilizes Twitter supporters

Posted By Blake Hounshell Sunday, December 5, 2010 - 1:58 AM

In a bid to stay one step ahead of the governments, companies, freelance hackers trying to shut down its operations, WikiLeaks mobilized its vast base of online support Saturday by asking its Twitter followers to create copies of its growing archive of hundreds of classified State Department cables.

By late afternoon Eastern time, more than 200 had answered the call, setting up "mirror" sites, many of them with the name "wikileaks" appended to their Web addresses. They organized themselves organically using the Twitter hashtag #imwikileaks, in a virtual show of solidarity reminiscent of the movie V is for Vendetta. In that 2005 film, a Guy-Fawkes masked vigilantee inspires thousands of Londoners to march on the Parliament similarly disguised -- while it blows up in front of their eyes. Presumably, many of these people believe they are facing the same sort of tyranny that V, the film's protagonist, fought against.

Critics of WikiLeaks have called on the Obama administration to shut down the site, but now it's clear that doing so would be a difficult task indeed. The New Yorker's recent profile of Julian Assange, the organization's mysterious founder and front man, said that "a government or company that wanted to remove content from WikiLeaks would have to practically dismantle the Internet itself." WikiLeaks has also posted a massive, heavily encrypted "insurance" file on The Pirate Bay, a sympathetic website, which presumably contains also 250,000-plus cables and would be released into the wild if anything happens to Assange.

As my FP colleague Evgeny Morozov warns, aggressive action like arresting or killing Assange could spawn the rise of a vast, permanent network of radicalized hackers "systematically challenging those in power – governments and companies alike – just for the sake of undermining 'the system'." That could prove an extremely dangerous threat to the global economy and diplomatic sphere.

Evgeny offers the sensible suggestion that governments try to steer WikiLeaks into a more productive direction...

Read more: http://wikileaks.foreignpolicy.com/

[annabanana]

1. never give up

never never never

[tekisui]

2. Keep fighting the Info War!

Wikileaks is doing us all a great service. The reaction of the world governments reveals that they are at least nervous and shaken. Probably worried about what happens next. Hopefully, they are terrified that their lies and deadly games will exposed.

[elias49]

3. Haha. Now THAT's funny...

Evgeny Morozov makes the "sensible suggestion" that Wikileaks become a part of the military industrial complex.
I think not.

[tabatha]

4. yeah!

I am glad the citizens are angry. And they don't have to use pitchforks and torches.

Maybe the corrupt bastards will take note.

[marmar]

5. As Howard Zinn said:

"The challenge remains. On the other side are formidable forces: money, political power, the major media. On our side are the people of the world and a power greater than money or weapons: the truth.
Truth has a power of its own. Art has a power of its own. That age-old lesson – that everything we do matters – is the meaning of the people’s struggle here in the United States and everywhere. A poem can inspire a movement. A pamphlet can spark a revolution. Civil disobedience can arouse people and provoke us to think, when we organize with one another, when we get involved, when we stand up and speak out together, we can create a power no government can suppress. We live in a beautiful country. But people who have no respect for human life, freedom, or justice have taken it over. It is now up to all of us to take it back."

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Amen to that.

[Bigmack]

10. Amen to that INDEED!

Would that I were a hacker - I'd be out there hacking FOR wikileaks. My thanks to those who are. Ms Bigmack

[truth2power]

57. As would I. The hackers around the world have my gratitude on this one...

If anything happens to Assange I hope the hackers all rise up and take everything down.

I don't care anymore. What contemptible people are running our government. A pox on them.

[tekisui]

11. .

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[Iliyah]

19. Why not his own

country?

The only reason why the US is maybe soooo, upset b/c of the "Chenny-Bush", and like any country, people with money are sorta upset.

KINDA

[EFerrari]

21. Because the Australian Empire isn't imposing its hegemony on

the rest of the world?


And if you read up a little, you'll find Wikileaks has released material, important material, about other countries.

[kgnu_fan]

24. I can almost hear Zinn's voice, cheering on Julian...

[molly77]

36. marmar

Thank you for the reminder of our beloved Howard Zinn.

[malaise]

39. Absolutely correct except

that the problem is global.

We live in a beautiful country/ (world). But people who have no respect for human life, freedom, or justice have taken it over. It is now up to all of us to take it back."

[madmax]

49. Amen

[ellie]

50. +1 million

[WillyT]

56. + 1,000,000,000... What Howard Said !!!

:patriot:

:kick: & Rec !!!

[EFerrari]

6. Fantastic!

:kick:

[boppers]

7. Mirrors, redirects, domains, oh my!

Streisand effect on global steroids.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. It is about time the idea of "a vast, permanent network of radicalized hackers"

was discussed.

Nice little shot across the bow, so to speak.

May the Force with be with the good guys.

And many thanks to you, Hissyspit, for keeping us all up to date.

:yourock:

[Voice for Peace]

12. this is frankly thrilling

all good thoughts and wishes for the success of the wikileaks efforts.

[JackInGreen]

13. It's impossible to kill an idea

because ideas are bulletproof.

Stand together.

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. I see a movie coming out of this.

Just when you think they got him...

Next, he'll have the entire secret documents downloadable on the Iphone.

[starroute]

20. That damned elusive Pimpernel

I keep being reminded of a bit of doggerel from The Scarlet Pimpernel, the epitomal French Revolution swashbuckler. (Which I loved as a kid until I got old enough to realize how basically reactionary its politics were.)

They seek him here, they seek him there
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere
Is he in Heaven? Is he in Hell?
That damned elusive Pimpernel

[Better Believe It]

15. K & R The fight for free speech and democratic rights goes on.

[starroute]

16. #imwikileaks

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23imwikileaks


List of mirror sites
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/79s9r1

[pmorlan1]

17. Rise and Rise Again Until Lambs Become Lions

This reminds me of the above quote from the Russell Crowe Robinhood movie.

[Downwinder]

18. I like the URL.

http://wikileaks.foreignpolicy.com

WikiLeaks has their own server dedicated to them at Foreign Policy.

[tavalon]

22. That is just a beautiful thing

Wikileaks is amazing.

[Slit Skirt]

23. you gotta love it......

[kgnu_fan]

25. You made me smile!!!

[NightWatcher]

26. big list of wikileaks mirrors: http://bit.ly/h9uoyV

http://bit.ly/h9uoyV

Sunshine is the best disinfectant. Pass it on

[slipslidingaway]

27. knr nt

[kgnu_fan]

28. Kick for Julian

[glinda]

29. K & R

:bounce:

[Volaris]

30. Good on everyone who set up a mirror...

downloaded and INS. file or made a donation.
And heres my two cents worth...everything else aside, this is about Net Neutrality. This is about us vs. THEM, about who controls information, and not just Governments and their State Departments. If the Wikileaks banking files are as damaging as many us believe they MUST be, Global Multinationals have skin in the game in a way that not everyone may have previously considered, and those guys play mean. As long as the Web stays open, we have a sword as well as a shield to use on Democracy's behalf.
Keep Fighting

[aquart]

31. Really silly that they thought they could stuff the genie back in the bottle.

[sabrina 1]

32. This is so exciting. It really is encouraging to see this kind of

solidarity and support for what Wikileaks is doing.

They organized themselves organically using the Twitter hashtag #imwikileaks, in a virtual show of solidarity reminiscent of the movie V is for Vendetta.

Maybe this is the beginning of real change? The people V the corrupt Globalists who have taken over the world and completely destroyed the economies of every country they touched!

I love that he is not alone. I also agree that rather than threatening him, the U.S. Government should start wondering how they can work to restore our democracy and start talking TO him instead of about him. I agree, this is a movement and it won't be stopped by killing or imprisoning him. That would be a huge mistake, as it would make him a martyr and inspire a virtual revolution.

[Lugnut]

33. K&R n't

[Desertrose]

34. Awesome!!! nt

[Agony]

35. (raised fist)

[northernlights]

37. K&R........................nt

[cate94]

38. K & R

[bertman]

40. Almost makes me wish I had a Twitter account. Nah. But REC anyway.

[lunatica]

41. The Truth is always a good thing to know

[TheWatcher]

42. .....

[sofa king]

43. I think the wild west might be about to break out again.

I've long argued that once it came into being, the global communications network could never be fully controlled or shut down, and any meddling is sure to produce a negative, reactionary result. Going after Napster led to the unstoppable torrent network. Going after Wikileaks now threatens to create an unstoppable sensitive information conduit that is already forcing news outlets to report the truth, rather than shape it as per the direction of their masters.

Of course, every power that is will stop at nothing to crush it, and while the idea will never be killed, its proponents are very mortal.

[Odin2005]

44. This is the real reason they want to control the Internet.

Without Net Neutrality they can simply kill WikiLeaks my making it impossible for you to get on the site because of bandwidth restrictions.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

45. Yay. K&R

[xmtrman]

46. Undermine the System!

aggressive action like arresting or killing Assange could spawn the rise of a vast, permanent network of radicalized hackers "systematically challenging those in power – governments and companies alike – just for the sake of undermining 'the system'."


Absolutely yes - and do not wait, do it now. You do not need to crack a system to be effective. Set up a local intranet, for example. Get an older computer system, install a flavor of linux on it, attach a wireless node to it and set it up as an open wireless server. Download the wikileaks files, etc. to it and any other material you think is relevant. Anyone within range of the your server will be able to access the information. When Wimax is more widely used, upgrade to it to increase the range. This is not hard to do, lots of tutorials and DIY info are available. Even if the internet is taken down, thousands and thousands of these type of server installations will ensure the information is still available. Go another step further and have them linked as mesh networks for creating a wide area intranet. See Cory Doctrow's Little Brother for a fictionalized account of this. Use your passion and creativity - hack the planet!

[Diclotican]

47. Hissyspit

Hissyspit

The truth wil allways be known, was what I was told, allways at home.. The truth wil revail itselfs..


Off course, they are not happy, the mighty ones when places like Wikileak is showing their ugly underbelly like this, blowing up their door, and showing all the ugly secrets about their past, and presents... And they wil go a long way, to be sure that he is "quiet" one way or another... If they can't bribe him, they might intend to kill him, even tho it might wil not that easy as they belive.. The world is a large place, and with helpes, like I belive mr Assage have, they might have a problem finding him..

You do not need to be "radical" to understand how bad the current evidences are against what is meant to be truth and right. You just need to have a brain that can work... Im not that radial, but it makes me blood boil, to read some of the documents who is surfacing now and then, and the evidences about what crimes is commited... But it is good that it is open, so everyone can read about it, and make their own conections about it all..

Diclotican

[Eyerish]

48. Awesome....K&R

[Boudica the Lyoness]

51. Fantastic

:)

[KoKo]

52. Good Stuff ..K&R!

[me b zola]

53. K&R!

:thumbsup:

[Swamp Rat]

54. Damn those Inter-tubes!!

:D

[Kaleko]

55. A hundred thousand Vs have been mobilized by Assange and more to come...

Watch them take a stand, symbolized by the ending of V For Vendetta.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnPvbfogeSI&feature=related

[defendandprotect]

58. Wow ... this can only happen based on positive reaction to Wikileaks/Assange....

[DeSwiss]

59. "Assassination is the extreme form of censorship." ~George Bernard Shaw n/t

[DeSwiss]

60. dupe