Mrs Trotter sent Rachel and I a fantastic opportunity today in the form of a conference being held at the Sydney Opera House featuring Whistle blowers specifically the three main men I have been researching this term. Rachel and I believe this would be a fantastic course of action as we can go and hear Julian Assange speak via video link as well as a range of talented and academic panelists to enable us to learn more about our topic and on our return to speak to our fellow peers at Loreto about what we have learnt.
Below is a description of the event:
Julian Assange, Glenn Greenwald and Chelsea Manning's Lawyer David Coombs (by video conference), will be joined by Alexa O'Brien and Robert Manne on stage in a must-see panel discussion.
DESCRIPTIONUS Journalist and activist Alexa O'Brien and Australian commentator Robert Manne will be joined by video conference with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, Guardian Journalist Glenn Greenwald and Chelsea Manning's Lawyer David Coombs in a not to be missed panel discussion on stage at the Sydney Opera House - Sept 16. It will be moderated by Crikey writer Bernard Keane.
Powerful governments are waging a war on whistleblowers and those involved in publishing their material. Edward Snowden has been granted temporary asylum in Russia, Manning has been convicted of espionage and is awaiting sentencing, and Julian Assange has been granted asylum by Ecuador but cannot step outside its London Embassy. It's clear that the actions of whistleblowers and their publishers - 'traitors' as they are known to some - have come at a significant personal cost, and while the human drama of these stories is engrossing, the focus should be on the very real issues they've raised: surveillance, press freedom, privacy, secrecy, and accountability.
The roles of governments and corporations in the future of the internet, and their use and abuse of data, have been put under the global spotlight. In the wake of Manning, Snowden and Wikileaks, we finally have the scope to properly debate the need for government transparency and the trade-off between privacy and security.
If there is mass state spying on everyone, including all journalists, politicians and citizen's private activities, can democracy still work? Can western civilization survive total surveillance? What does the war against whistleblowers tell us about the rule of law in a democracy? As we mull over these questions, the price of our knowledge is being paid by these individuals.
Glenn Greenwald was the first to publish Edward Snowden's leaked documents. Journalist and activistAlexa O'Brien , has produced the only available pre-trial transcripts of Bradley Manning's secret prosecution and continues to chronicle his sentencing. Julian Assange still directs Wikileaks, an organisation under US investigation.
Below is a description of the event:
Julian Assange, Glenn Greenwald and Chelsea Manning's Lawyer David Coombs (by video conference), will be joined by Alexa O'Brien and Robert Manne on stage in a must-see panel discussion.
DESCRIPTIONUS Journalist and activist Alexa O'Brien and Australian commentator Robert Manne will be joined by video conference with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, Guardian Journalist Glenn Greenwald and Chelsea Manning's Lawyer David Coombs in a not to be missed panel discussion on stage at the Sydney Opera House - Sept 16. It will be moderated by Crikey writer Bernard Keane.
Powerful governments are waging a war on whistleblowers and those involved in publishing their material. Edward Snowden has been granted temporary asylum in Russia, Manning has been convicted of espionage and is awaiting sentencing, and Julian Assange has been granted asylum by Ecuador but cannot step outside its London Embassy. It's clear that the actions of whistleblowers and their publishers - 'traitors' as they are known to some - have come at a significant personal cost, and while the human drama of these stories is engrossing, the focus should be on the very real issues they've raised: surveillance, press freedom, privacy, secrecy, and accountability.
The roles of governments and corporations in the future of the internet, and their use and abuse of data, have been put under the global spotlight. In the wake of Manning, Snowden and Wikileaks, we finally have the scope to properly debate the need for government transparency and the trade-off between privacy and security.
If there is mass state spying on everyone, including all journalists, politicians and citizen's private activities, can democracy still work? Can western civilization survive total surveillance? What does the war against whistleblowers tell us about the rule of law in a democracy? As we mull over these questions, the price of our knowledge is being paid by these individuals.
Glenn Greenwald was the first to publish Edward Snowden's leaked documents. Journalist and activistAlexa O'Brien , has produced the only available pre-trial transcripts of Bradley Manning's secret prosecution and continues to chronicle his sentencing. Julian Assange still directs Wikileaks, an organisation under US investigation.