Information is Power
Published in El Espectador
(Colombia) on 6 December 2010
by Luis Carvajal Basto (link to original)
(Colombia) on 6 December 2010
by Luis Carvajal Basto (link to original)
Translated from
by Elizabeth Marcus.
Edited by Hoishan Chan.
A website's revelations have made the world think and are an example of the information and telecommunications revolution that we are currently experiencing.
The details and morbid curiosity provided by the WikiLeaks content and the legal consequences of revealing state secrets has renewed the debate about the limits of citizens’ right to information when it comes to state interests. What is left is a feeling of amazement about the possibilities of using the information available today on the Internet.
The saying that “he who has the information has the power” is well known. This applies in politics in relation to getting elected, learning the likes and preferences of citizens and competitors, as well as to governing, creating good policies and better governments.
Nowadays it is not difficult to access information that allows us to examine the performance of institutions and governments without having to resort to sensitive subjects like top secret or classified information. It is even less complicated to spread that information when it is in the public interest. In any democratic country, competition in the media and plurality guarantee access to information.
Extrapolating the saying noted previously leads us to the conclusion that he who does not have the information lacks power, affirming that this is about the citizens’ guarantee that the people in power — judicial, legislative or executive — cannot overstep their bounds without the public finding out about it.
Surely this is the reason why being informed today is the pillar of all freedoms, not just for judicial recourse. It also explains why the Internet is the place everyone goes to get, provide and consult information. It’s the library at Alexandria of our time and more.
If we take into account that libraries throughout history have been the object of persecution, disappearance and arson because of ideological, political or religious interests, we should stay alert in order to protect them, with the understanding that it is a matter of preserving the world’s heritage.
If Mr. Julian Assange, founder and owner of WikiLeaks, committed any crime he should be held responsible for his actions, but it is something else in principle to use this as an excuse to restrict free access to information. The Internet is a synonym for freedom.
The details and morbid curiosity provided by the WikiLeaks content and the legal consequences of revealing state secrets has renewed the debate about the limits of citizens’ right to information when it comes to state interests. What is left is a feeling of amazement about the possibilities of using the information available today on the Internet.
The saying that “he who has the information has the power” is well known. This applies in politics in relation to getting elected, learning the likes and preferences of citizens and competitors, as well as to governing, creating good policies and better governments.
Nowadays it is not difficult to access information that allows us to examine the performance of institutions and governments without having to resort to sensitive subjects like top secret or classified information. It is even less complicated to spread that information when it is in the public interest. In any democratic country, competition in the media and plurality guarantee access to information.
Extrapolating the saying noted previously leads us to the conclusion that he who does not have the information lacks power, affirming that this is about the citizens’ guarantee that the people in power — judicial, legislative or executive — cannot overstep their bounds without the public finding out about it.
Surely this is the reason why being informed today is the pillar of all freedoms, not just for judicial recourse. It also explains why the Internet is the place everyone goes to get, provide and consult information. It’s the library at Alexandria of our time and more.
If we take into account that libraries throughout history have been the object of persecution, disappearance and arson because of ideological, political or religious interests, we should stay alert in order to protect them, with the understanding that it is a matter of preserving the world’s heritage.
If Mr. Julian Assange, founder and owner of WikiLeaks, committed any crime he should be held responsible for his actions, but it is something else in principle to use this as an excuse to restrict free access to information. The Internet is a synonym for freedom.