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HOPE X (2014): "Barrett Brown and Anonymous: Persecution of Information Activists" (Download)

HOPE X (2014): "Barrett Brown and Anonymous: Persecution of Information Activists" (Download)

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Friday, July 18, 2014: 12:00 pm (Manning): Barrett Brown, a Dallas-based writer and freelance journalist, was arrested in late 2012 and indicted several times on charges including the publication of a hyperlink. He was earlier pegged by the media as an "unofficial spokesperson" for the hacktivist collective known as Anonymous. But who is he really and what was he trying to uncover that made him a target of the feds? The prosecution was widely regarded as excessive and included a gag order, subpoenas, charges issued against family members, attempts to seize defense funds, and criminal counts so flawed that they were later dismissed. This talk will explore Brown's work, what happened during his case, the dynamics of his interactions with Anonymous and its implications for other journalists who work with hackers, and why his case outraged many of those who care for free speech and freedom of press.

Kevin Gallagher, Ahmed Ghappour, Gabriella Coleman