Expressions of dissent

First, whistleblowing is interesting because its role is threefold. Besides whistleblowing being a way in which the privacy movement expresses dissent, whistleblowers are also a vital source of information to the movement and furthermore often become activists within the movement themselves. Second, activist art is a way for the privacy movement to communicate its ideas and goals, to members of the movement as well as to the larger public. Although there is only a small group of activists involved in the process of creating the art, it does affect the movement in its entirety. To illustrate how art and activism merge, I analyzed two art projects associated with the movement: Panda to PandaLaura Poitras documented the project in the short film 'The Art of Dissent'. and Anything to Say?.You can follow the 'Anything to Say?' project on Twitter. Last, the privacy movement also expresses dissent through protest. This is done both through traditional types of protest such as street demonstrations, as well as through protest forms that can only exist online, for example the development, promotion, and use of tools that provide more anonymity for Internet users.

Although dissent is an element that characterizes the privacy movement, it is certainly not the only one; so do its untraditional role of leadership within the movement and Berlin as its physical meeting place. If you would like to read more about the role of leadership and meeting places within the privacy movement, you can find more information about this in my thesis.

Starting next week, I will be publishing a series of articles in which I will explore whistleblowing, art, and protest as expressions of dissent. First up is the exceptional role whistleblowing has within the privacy movement.