Wikileaks and the Age of Transparency - Tapa blanda

"'By studying so carefully how technology is changing politics, he's been preparing for years to write this book. We should be grateful that he actually did.' (Jay Rosen, Professor of Journalism, New York University; author of PressThink.org) 'Micah Sifry doesn't just know WikiLeaks. He sees how it relates to everything from Obama's victory to the Tea Party's appearance to electoral politics in Croatia, and he uses his incredible breadth of experience to show us how Wikileaks is part of a large, long-term trend in favor of the spread and visibility of information about our world.' (Clay Shirky) 'With insight and clarity, Micah Sifry explores the red-hot spot where politics and the Internet intersect. An indispensable resource for the future fight over secrecy and openness.' (Arianna Huffington)"

It's one of the biggest news stories for years. A charismatic, white-haired Australian sets up a website devoted to publishing leaked documents in the public interest, and then, allegedly with the aid of a disaffected American soldier, starts releasing startlingly honest cables from the US diplomatic service - with explosive results. In this lively, up-to-the-minute book, technology and politics analyst Micah Sifry tells the story of WikiLeaks in the context of the growing movement for transparency in politics and of the crowdsourcing activism that the Internet and in particular Web 2.0 has made possible. In particular, he looks at the achievements of open-source web projects that collate information for individuals and governments alike, and describes how crowdsourcing initiatives have analysed MPs' expenses, recorded political violence in Kenya and reduced bribery in India. Finally, he discusses the rather ambivalent attitudes displayed by political elites, many of whom have embraced the idea of open government in opposition only to go quiet once in power. Fascinating, thoughtful and often eye-opening, this is an essential guide to the new age of transparency.