colin hodson on Tue, 7 Dec 2010 22:15:01 +0100 (CET)


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Re: <nettime> Umberto Eco: Not such wicked leaks



Interestingly the article speaks of leaks but slips into accounting
for the leaks as the work of hackers. Establishing 'the powers that
be' vs. the 'hacker - the citizen's self appointed avenger' seems
a strange collapse that denies the inherent instability (that the
internet has been so useful for revealing) between authority/citizen.

Naming Wikileaks (or any other whistleblowing site) as hackers
conveniently outlaws them (even if being championed Robin Hood-like),
rather than leaving them in the murky legal status of leaker. Is that
not a position we occupy to some degree while we consume and relay the
same material?

Colin



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