About a mailing list I am on an entry in the blog www.anarchogeek.com activists today in which a document that is called “Destabilizing Networks”. The text was supported by members of the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh drafted and the Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Navy, and in November 2001. It is the basic understanding of so-called “socio-technical networks and how best to destabilize. While we argued in the document primarily against terrorism, but Evan, Anarchies blog (even Indy media activists), rightly, that the same results, especially against social movements can be and this is likely to have long done.
Especially for Indy media as a global socio-technical network should be a discussion of these findings very interesting. See also: Argentina: threats and provocations Initially listed, the tools used by researchers and how these work. These are classic “social network techniques that do not continue and so-called” multi-agent systems “, so networks consisting of several information collectors. “Agents can both electronic data collectors as well as human. The basic functioning in the destabilization of networks is as follows: 1st Identification of critical individuals, groups and technologies All of these fall under the heading of “node” (German “focal point”) summed up every socio-technical network composed. It will be without closer to explain the methods referred to help critical junctions to you ( “centrality”, “cut-points”).A program called “Threat Finder” is mentioned, which is used with traditional methods weaknesses in companies such as critical employees and redundancy (About liquid by staff or resources). According to the author should therefore be possible to successfully following vulnerabilities out:– Individuals or groups whose removal significantly impact the network. Zb. when they are in their ability to adapt their performance or weakens, or by the flow of information to and from that person or group reduces .- persons or groups where it is unlikely that they will act, even if the information they need for action. — Individuals or groups, which gives them information that will quickly can redistribute .- persons or groups who have identified more influence than others and thus a potential source of foundation problem, or even potential dissidents / objectors (compared with the network), or innovators .- Individuals or groups, which overflow to a competing organization would mean that all the core information prior to the new organization be disclosed. This is called “inevitable disclosure” (GV “inevitable disclosure”) .- persons or groups with a redundancy, a kind of “liquid” on the network. This could be people who do not perform services, but access to resources. Or unattended computer systems are part of the network.2nd “Pattern location” (Ger Pattern Recognition) Allegedly have in recent years considerable progress in the field of “graph level analysis”, which allow software using adaptive pattern in all graphically displayed data to determine to recognize the human eye would not be able. Aufgezählt: interaction and communication networks, financial networks, inter-organizational alliances, mental models, text, web pages, “Who was where at what time?” and Geschichtsstränge. (The document itself provides here a few more remarks.) 3rd “What-if analyses and action guidelines Here are some proven options for action, according to the text successfully, or more accurately investigated. These include:– What networks can be easily destabilize that their leader eliminated - The company searches from different data protection guidelines and Datensammelarten for their efficiency, for example. whether liesse curb terrorism better if you access to web pages themed back .- How well can the dispersal of information and use different technologies to predict, thus the faith of individual (not religious) through social influence to manipulate - The predictions of Abstimmergebnissen or the likelihood of a certain consensus within groups .- The determination of factors influencing the response time of a network to a new situation or an event slow the development of new practices and thus inhibit the adaptability of a network to limit .- How far is The group / organization / company away that their core competencies and working methods of another group discovered ( “inevitable disclosure”) - The investigation of new marketing and “information warfare” strategies for their efficiency (not specified). — What could be the cause of a difficult destabilisation?The basic problems in the analysis of large socio-technical Netsuke are primarily the technical limits of the computer software that are usually on smaller networks are rather large or global, and the lack of public databases of large networks, in which the technologies tested could be. Furthermore, it seems that the analysis of networks with the most complete data to work, you usually do not have. Therefore, we, in the future to the interpretation of data fragments to specialize and the functioning of large networks based on individual sections to analyze (subnets, subgroups). It is often so that the overall networks from different subnets or subgroups, the same practice, how the individual members in these subnets / groups themselves.The computer program “CONSTRUCT-O” as a tool called the dynamic (constantly changing) relations between nodes mapped and analyzed. The basic requirements are a) that people adapt (imitating behavior accept) and b) that they interact with each other. With whom people interact depends on commonalities: ethnic, economic, religious, political, etc. In addition, people usually interact with those based on a similar knowledge and interests are status (eg technikorientierte are more people with other people technikorientierten cooperate). In addition, people mainly in the proximity of those who, from which they can learn something from which they are also an advantage. ( ‘relative similarity “,” relative expertise “).Moreover, there is the finding of an “emergent leader,” an emerging leadership personality. This is usually the person with the most “cognitive load”, the highest level of knowledge and the highest intellectual capacity. The scientists agreed that there are nodes in a network, which is a leadership role and attributed a large part of the network influence. They propose that the elimination of this junction is a very good method is to create a network to destabilize. There are at least three main characteristics of the successful destabilization of a network:1st If the flow of information within the network significantly reduced or even reduced to zero wird.2. If a network in the decision-making no longer come to a consensus, or this process takes considerably longer than normal.3. If a network as an organization less effective in the implementation of its work is new information or can handle less well than before.Vs. Hierarchy. Decentralism The two basic types of network system are the “hierarchical, centralized structure” and “distributed, decentralized” ( “distributed decentralized network”). In the hierarchical centralized network structure is an outdated, but still very common system in which the leaders (represented by the lower right corner), or the parent nodes, clearly defined and a central position. From this it can lower the focal points directly influence while they themselves are not networked (decision concerning direction and flow of knowledge). When military, terrorist networks such as Al-Quadra, most companies, and in the public policy of this structure.network_hier1.png Figure 1: a hierarchical network In the bottom picture is the leader was removed in this example to a serious collapse of the network, because the individual sub-groups in no communication with each other. Recovers the network, probably would be a lengthy process, it might be behind this as shown in Figure 3. “Central” indicates a focal point, although not a leader, but performed exceptionally well networked. In general, this is the role of the former leader, the “Leaders”. Network_hier2.png Figure 2: A hierarchical network after removing the “Leaders” network_hier3.png Figure 3: And after the reorganization Distributed networks are much more complex and difficult from their stability. As most modern social movements distributed decentralized networks together (including Indy media, GNU / Linux and peer-2-peer file-sharing systems), they are responsible for us substantially greater interest. Figure 4 is a sample representation for such a decentralized socio-technical network. One must add that “nodes” (Focal Points) is not only humans but also computers, such as Web, chat or wiki server, or even from such groups, so nodes in the network of communication run or on which Information is stored. The distance between the individual nodes (circles) shows how closely the knowledge that zusammenliegt. Two parties could work closely together, two activists with very similar knowledge, or two servers with very similar content (eg mirrors). Lines show the nodes at the time of the observation window communicative contact with each other were. Isolated points are part of the network, but were during the observation period is not in contact with other members of the network. Thick lines indicate a very strong bond between two nodes, both very strong cooperation in functional level, as well as a strong social bond. network_dist1.png Figure 4: A distributed, decentralized network Removing the “Leader”, which is also the most networked Knotepunkt, including Central, one sees that this is initially less harm than in the hierarchical network above. The authors of the paper have even an interesting side effect, which often seems to enter: the removal of a central personality may have a positive impact on the network. This happens even in this example (see pictures 5 and 6). There is the removal of the leader who quickly through the forging of new contacts in their environment to absorb and then immediately develop new leader. In another place (right side) to ensure the absence of the former Leader Contacts Central that there is a specific focus. This distributes the cognitive burden relative to two centres in the network, instead of one as before. The functioning of the other subnets by this event will be visible scarcely affected.network_dist2.png Figure 5: After removing the “Leaders” network_dist3.png Figure 6: And after the reorganization These scientifically ausformulierten findings largely coincide with my own observations within such social networks. And even if unconsciously, it seems many of the weaknesses of this form of organization to recognize and be dangerous developments. It was the cake-throwing against Luca Casarini, the leader of the self-Disobedienti “(Link), with its growing emergence as leader of the social movements in Italy founded. The constant criticism of “attac” as the core institution for the social movement (and the negative attitude of an apparent trend towards hierarchy) is a similar safeguard mechanism. As the Indymedia network 2002 by the protest of activists, mostly from the global south against a funding questionable attempt by the Ford Foundation * from the United States on fended 100000 U.S. dollars and the money (which is primarily intended for use global meeting should) be interpreted rejected a Gal Beckerman of Columbia Journalism Review in an article about the media network as a weakness, decisions to be taken, for the future to overcome applies (link). Beckerman believes the Indymedia network have the chance on a long-awaited money syringe drop and quoted Sascha My Rath, the controversial activist Urbana-Champaign and self-IMC “treasurer” of the Indymedia network, the dispute over the Ford money had cracks in the global network caused the years would need to be smooth.The fact is that the controversy surrounding donations from large part of the global network hardly noted. The IMC least let their financial resources through the account of the Urbana-Champaign IMC manage, I also have the IMC’s most unlikely financial resources, but anti-organized by the use of solidarity structures, and funds from their own pocket. Capital remains the greatest threat to independent journalism because it traces to donors that are a longer-term corruption, not exclude. The Decline of large donations and the critical discourse against “rich” as IMC Urbana-Champaign or in Seattle, the office space for its long-term urban related funds, is therefore positive and emancipatory as to evaluate and shows that the author of the linked contribution Indymedias principle and the functioning of decentralized networks in this point not fully understood.Collapse and reorganization Man appears in the progressive society slowly understand that leaders and key structures is a fundamental threat to the success of a social movement. At least for the next generation in the past, often under the new dictates of the old revolutionaries had to suffer.But even in much smaller scale such developments can understand and observe mid 2002, internal disputes Indymedia France to a collapse, the already very small, based in Paris IMC forced to self-dissolution. The central nature of the IMC and the unequal distribution of resources (eg access to the server) result is that administrative passwords of individuals were suppressed, the newswire for internal strife has been misused, including This remained the newswire a time unbetreut and neglected in subsequent months by right-wing postings and senseless spam. The center column was also no longer maintained. On 1 July 2002 wrote the übriggebliene France-a collective request to a global working group in which it is a question asked Indymedia France from the DNS auszutragen (the Web address france.indymedia.org dissolve) and to further the status of IMC abzuerkennen. “Indymedia France” was a failure and officially does not exist anymore.But this collapse led to a self-cleaning process of the observations of scientists at Carnegie Mellon University a few months after the publication of its document rather should be present: IMC France underwent a “self-therapy” (Link) and worked their fundamental new understanding of self. There were clearer guidelines developed under which the newswire should be maintained and clearly defined rules for dealing with passwords and the distribution of competences. Moreover agreed the first two local IMC, which consist of the collapse of newly emerged (IMC Isle de France and IMC Nice) on the working concept of “radical transparency” (link). “Radical transparency” (German “radical transparency”) describes the total, radical disclosure of all decision-making structures and working methods. Only systemkritische private data and passwords are excluded.This should give the public and the public of the Indymedia activists see the greatest possible guarantee to ensure confidence in the practices of the network. This happened especially in the light subsequent disputes and blame from the outset to prevent by all the opportunity, during the decision-making process open. This is “Strafmechanismen” for wrong decisions (as they like. In the economic and political course and give), subsequent criticism and decision-making revisions. Such is mainly due to decentralized networks over long periods of time paralysing effect.Indymedia France is now a growing network of local groups with local IMCs in Paris, Nice, Lille, Nantes, Liege and also Euskal Herria (Basque country). More are on the emergence of collectives, including the cities of Marseilles, Grenoble, Strasbourg and Lyon. Even Indymedia UK (the abbreviation stands for “official” decision of April 7, 2003 for “United Kollektives”) underwent an extensive decentralization process. From out of a dispute between the former London Working Group, the only two ambitious activists existed and a new formierenden London Collective “decided to make London the central character Indymedia UK’s favour of a regionalisation up. Now there is next to Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and the two autonomous cities of Lancaster and Bristol IMC’s nine other regional sites with their own Newswires, Central columns and moderation groups, which the cooperation on the national side.Practical ideas for the future The aspirations of the military, police and similar organisations, the functioning of social networks and to understand their findings, mainly against government opponents and alternative structures should be at least since the fall seriously Aaron Kilner (link). At the time, was only by chance, through the Unfalltot of activists in an anti-war group called “Peace Fresno” in the same city brought to light that this is really a spy “FCSD”, an anti-terrorism unit was likely with the JTTF, which was recently established new Joint Terrorism Task Force, are participating. Kilner took over several months in group meetings, travelled together with the other at the WTO meeting in Sacramento in June 2003 and did extensive notes on the activists and their structures.It should be clear that the much terrorism is not the main problem of the state, on the contrary: the ubiquity of terrorism fuels insecurity, and this is a good excuse for political activism of those aims, the true social change in a country and thus herbeibringen the power of the state in question - more than terrorism ever could.Thus could be the focus of research in the field of network destabilisation less focus on leaders to eliminate, but primarily to find out how to successfully decentralized networks weaken or manipulate. Since the working paper submitted three years ago is also likely since some have done. As the examples of France and the UK can show you the future but rather calm at heart. Distributed networks are weithaus complex and flexible than the one many would wish, and many are confident that they constitute a new stage of evolution, coupled with the increasing physical and informational abundance (Open Source and Copyleft) for the long term Downfall hierarchical social forms of work and care. But we are strongly hierarchical networks and through the use of force (whether logistical violence by the company’s world or force of arms by countries) is in a position to the development of new social orders to disrupt and delay.For the further development of Indymedia and similar progressive organizations could include incentives therefore of fundamental importance:– Leaders and central structures should be avoided at all costs. Technical and logistical skills should be distributed as many shoulders as possible. Knowledge should adhere to the “peers” who are members of the network, relayed .- openness will create confidence. Decisions must be understandable and manageable. Closed structures paranoia and a susceptibility to manipulation and infiltration by third parties. If you skills, knowledge and logistics to as many individuals as possible will be distributed to the individual less vulnerable and he is less long-term direct repression from .- The dependence of financial resources should be kept as low as possible. Even then if there is no money to become a creative and noted that there is another way. Equipment can be found in the collective share resources, you can organize relations .- Learn how you can encrypt your communication and also uses the (www.gnupg.org). Open structures have does not mean that the things that are thought to be private does not remain. But be careful when Keysigning: Keys signed (which is often on public servers, for example http://keys.indymedia.org/), third a good look at your friends ( “web of trust”) and say from what you people You’ve already met and therefore likely to stand in contact. Therefore keysigning fans plead for key principle of as many people as possible to sign, including from people with whom you do not necessarily together. When his key also from any fleeting acquaintance can sign it will be for data collectors again a social network difficult to recognize it .- Distributed networks should not fear expansion, as proposed by some as concern ( “Indymedia could be too powerful” ). Decentralized networks have the most extensive by the absence of secondary power criteria such as capital, defined ranks or lack of, and therefore unequal distribution of productive assets, the underlying property of a “horizontal expansion”. This means that the more people participate, the more divided the power to several more and less possible for the power to a few. Unlike a “vertical expansion” Neuankömmliche not reinforce the power of the establishment, through tax levies or grant work, as in a hierarchical system, but they help the network continue to decentralize power and concentration entklumpen.It can only be good if in the various German cities other independent media centers set up. Nobody (except the enemies of press freedom) should have something about it, and nobody needs a permit from anyone for it.The software used for publishing systems are open source and freely available. Mailing lists can be under http://lists.indymedia.org/ without much effort can be set up (but it would also be useful elsewhere this; least a substitute mailing list for the case of a server failure). We should also endeavour so many people and groups as possible in the project miteinzubinden and the existence of a local Indymedia network widely known (outreach). This allows you many dazuzustoßen. An IMC must (or should) be no “official” character, but can also be a decentralized form of action established. This makes modern media activism less tangible for repressive authorities as a clearly definable group.The establishment of local IMCs in Germany would be no competitive behavior against de.indymedia.org, but a mutually complementary. It would test the different approaches and an exchange of experience, it has not. In addition, several German IMC in the event of an attack alternatives for the dissemination of information.
Information for the start up their own IMCs can be found at http://docs.indymedia.org/. Or you can simply thinks itself was.The revolution will be a decentralized distributed one!
* Ford Foundation (http://www.fordfound.org/):The Ford Foundation was 1936 with a donation from the Henry Ford of Ford Motor Company was founded and pretends to support projects that promote democracy and reduce poverty. However, there has long accused the Ford Foundation would serve as a front organization for the CIA, and especially alternative finance projects whose political direction they can manipulate. There is also the allegation they had in the past co-financed Islamist terrorist organizations.Richard Bisell, former president of the Foundation, said the purpose should be less been “left intellectuals dialectically to defeat, rather than from their positions wegzuködern”.Members of the Board of Trustees of the Ford Foundation (donors) are an indication, according to own include:– The Alliance for Downtown New York p://www.downtownny.com/), part of the so-called” Business Improvement District (BID), a community of interests New York business people whose income is primarily was vulnerable from Manhattan to distribute and the image of the city geschäftstauglicher to make - the Coca-Cola Company - Alcoa (http://www.alcoa.com/), a large technology company who is also defence takes orders - Nogales Investors ( ttp://www.nogalesinvestors.com/), a private investment firm focused exclusively to large customers in the area tried million - the Carlyle Group (http://carlyle.com/), also one of the world’s largest investment companies Rüstunsprojekte primarily financed and therefore under criticism. Arrest doubt the company is primarily because of the prominent personalities with her to do or had: George Bush senior as “Senior Advisor” for the Carlyle Asia Advisory Board, UK prime minister John Major as European chairman, James Baker, former U.S. Secretary under Bush senior ( “Carlyle senior counselor), the former Philippine President Fidel Ramos, on the U.S. side against the Vietnam and Korea and fought the dictatorial Marcos regime as head of the police force for 20 years untertützte.
It was the Bin Laden family, co-investor in Carlyle before they briefly after 11 Sept. 2001 their 2-billion U.S. dollar investment in low media interest abandoned.
Why should such an association calculated Indymedia with a 100,000-dollar donation?