Nozomi Hayase

WikiLeaks dropped a bombshell on the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Code-named "Vault 7", the whistleblowing site began releasing the largest publication of confidential documents, that have come from the top secret security network at the Cyber Intelligence Center. Long before the Edward Snowden revelations, Julian Assange noted how "The Internet, our greatest tool of emancipation, … Continue reading “WikiLeaks Vault 7 Reveals CIA Cyberwar and the Real Battleground of Democracy”

“To me, freedom of speech is something that represents the very dignity of what a human being is… that’s what marks us off from the stones and stars.” These are words spoken by Mario Savio, the spokesperson for the Free Speech Movement in the 60’s. Decades later, the power of free speech has surged onto … Continue reading “WikiLeaks: 10 Years of Pushing the Boundaries of Free Speech”

Last week, Oliver Stone’s biopic “Snowden” hit the theaters. The film illuminates the life of Edward Snowden between 2004 and 2013, aiming to humanize one of the most wanted men in the world. Just before its release, a public campaign was launched urging President Obama to pardon this renowned NSA whistleblower. The massive US government … Continue reading “Assange, Manning, and Snowden, Standing With the Conscience of Truthtellers”

On April 5, 2010, WikiLeaks published classified military footage of a July 2007 attack by a US Army helicopter gunship in the Iraqi suburb of New Baghdad. The video titled Collateral Murder depicted the killing of more than a dozen men, including two Reuters staffers. At the time of release, the WikiLeaks website temporarily crashed … Continue reading “Six Year Anniversary of WikiLeaks Collateral Murder; A Celebration of Free Speech”

Last week, the United Nations Working Group (UNWG) on Arbitrary Detention ruled that journalist Julian Assange had been subject to arbitrary detention by the Swedish and British governments and that it must end. The Center for Constitutional Rights noted the significant precedent in the law of detention and the larger implications this has, not only … Continue reading “Assange’s UN Victory and Redemption of the West”

In the aftermath of Edward Snowden’s revelations of NSA mass surveillance, global outrage ensued, degrading the credibility of the US before the rest of the world. Subsequent reports revealed how the intelligence agency intercepted German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone conversations. Trust was shaken even among US allies when a report emerged that the US had … Continue reading “With Looming Financial War, Bitcoin Ushers in Peaceful Insurrection”

April 5th marked the five year anniversary of WikiLeaks publication of the Collateral Murder Video. The footage of a secret US military video depicted an Apache helicopter killing Iraqi civilians, including two Reuters journalists. It provided an uncensored view of modern war for the world to see. The light that shone in the darkness was … Continue reading “Chelsea Manning and the Call of America’s Conscience”

The recent news about PayPal’s integration of Bitcoin created a new spark for the world’s first stateless currency. Early last year, Overstock.com became the first major online retailer to accept Bitcoin. Other large merchants like Dell, Tiger Direct and Expedia soon followed their lead. Since its inception in 2010, Bitcoin continues to attract merchants, new … Continue reading “Bitcoin Rises in the Death Throes of Empire”