On Sep 24 2012 an article from the Interpress service revealed that a new website titled The Associated Whistleblowing is up and running as a wikileaks alternative. As of September 30th the new website is up and operating following the passing of the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative on June 16th, 2011. Because of these initiatives Iceland is on it’s way to becoming a safe haven for investigative journalism and AWP hopes to be a frontrunner in this new arena.
The legislation that will support AWP is intended to be the strongest media freedom laws in the world. The legislations will create a stronghold for investigative journalists, Internet publishers, transparency watchdogs and the public. Wikileaks has been on hold since Bradley manning was imprisoned and Julian Assenge has been detained and while wikileaks had a big part to play in drafting these fresh initiatives in Iceland, The Whistleblowing Press has been the first to launch in the new territory.
The central aim of the website is to be a super anonymous domain that facilitates simplifying received links to help the everyday people understand the material. Noel, a previous wikileaks volunteer and now founder of this project points out some of the fundamental differences between this website and wikileaks. They will be collecting leaked information’s through Global leaks technology making it impossible for them to trace anonymous information back to its source. They will have a decentralized framework with no stationary staff positions within the work team. Two more important differences are that they will not be exclusive with their information and they also will report local leaks under a large team of research analysts they are bringing together.
Main Reference
Lowana Veal, “Alternative to Wikileaks Arises in Iceland,” Inter Press Service News Agency (2012), http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/09/alternative-to-wikileaks-arises-in-iceland/ (accessed September 28th, 2012).
Other References
International Modern Media institute, “Imms.is.” Last modified 2012. Accessed October 1, 2012. https://immi.is/index.php/projects/immi
“AWP launches local platform in Iceland: Ljost.is.” (Online forum message). Associated Whistleblowing Press. 09 30, 2012. http://associated.whistle.is/?p=30 (accessed October 1, 2012).
Stray, Jonathan. “What will Iceland’s new media laws mean for journalists?” http://www.niemanlab.org/2010/06/what-will-icelands-new-media-laws-mean-for-journalists/ (accessed October 1, 2012).
Student Researcher: Rory Scotland, Sonoma State University
Faculty Evaluator: Peter Chamberlin, Sonoma State University