Secrecy

Complaints of White House Secrecy Reach New Levels

by John Stauber — October 13, 2002 - 10:00pm

"Tensions have escalated far beyond the inevitable grousing
between press secretaries and journalists, who said they
could not remember a White House that was more grudging or
less forthcoming in informing the press. ... Certainly, there have been strains between reporters and the press secretary in previous White Houses, and every administration has tried to prevent leaks and control spin. But complaints about White House secrecy have reached new levels.

Main Source: 
New York Times, October 14, 2002

Philip Morris Uses "Account Masking"

by Sheldon Rampton — October 12, 2002 - 9:04am

In an effort to distance itself from the stench of its reputation as the world's worst tobacco company, Philip Morris recently changed its name to "Altria." To guard the new name against parodies, the company then sneakily bought up the domain name registration for "AltriaSucks.com." Bret Fausett,
an Internet watcher interested in legal issues, discovered that AltriaSucks.com was registered to "Account Masking," which turns out to be a special service offered by Register.com available only to customers t

Main Source: 
http://www.lextext.com/icann/november2001.html

Why Spy?

by Sheldon Rampton — October 6, 2002 - 10:00pm

"I'm astonished that anyone's astonished" at the failures of the American intelligence community to detect or prevent terrorism, writes information guru John Perry Barlow. "After a decade of both fighting with and consulting to the intelligence community, I've concluded that the American intelligence system is broken beyond repair, self-protective beyond reform, and permanently fixated on a world that no longer exists." How could it be otherwise, he asks, in institutions that were designed to be paranoid and secretive?

Main Source: 
Forbes, October 7, 2002

Censorship and Propaganda From The Gulf War To Today

by Laura Miller — September 23, 2002 - 10:00pm

"I would say that the greatest threat to democracy right now in the United State is George Bush's casual use of propaganda, and sometimes lies, to advance his case against Iraq," Harper's publisher Rick MacArthur told Democracy Now's Amy Goodman. MacArthur is also author of "The Second Front: Censorship and Propaganda in the Gulf War." Goodman asked MacArthur to revisit the elder Bush White House's control of the press corps during that administration's Persian Gulf War. Journalists then faced strict Pentagon control, including no freedom of movement and PR escorts at all times.

Main Source: 
Democracy Now! September 24, 2002

Project Censored

by Sheldon Rampton — August 27, 2002 - 10:00pm

Now in its 26th year, Project Censored is back with a new annual report on the biggest stories the major US news media have ignored or underreported. Stories awarded this dubious honor include:

  • FCC Moves To Privatize Airwaves
  • New Trade Treaty Seeks to Privatize Global Social Services
  • United States' Policies in Colombia Support Mass Murder
  • Bush Administration Hampered FBI Investigation into Bin Laden Family
  • U.S. Intentionally Destroyed Iraq's Water System
  • U.S.

Main Source: 
San Francisco Bay Guardian, August 28, 2002

Shh...the Veterans Might Hear

by Sheldon Rampton — August 19, 2002 - 10:00pm

Last month a Bush administration appointee at the Department of Veterans' Affairs sent out a memo implementing a novel way of saving money: just stop healthcare outreach programs to vets so they won't know what services they're entitled to receive.

Main Source: 
New York Times, August 20, 2002

Closemouthed at Justice

by Sheldon Rampton — August 18, 2002 - 10:00pm

In the aftermath of 9/11, Congress gave the U.S. Justice Department substantial new powers to wiretap and spy on suspected terrorists, but the Justice Department refuses to tell Congress what it is doing with those powers.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, August 19, 2002

Congress Hits White House Secrecy

by Sheldon Rampton — August 6, 2002 - 10:00pm

"The Bush administration's refusal to cooperate with even the most routine and basic congressional requests for information is infuriating members of Congress and violating congressional rights and responsibilities," reports Alexander Bolton in The Hill, a newspaper for Washington insiders. Republicans and Democrats alike in Congress are complaining about the secrecy, which extends beyond issues like national defense and foreign policy and includes areas such as environmental, educational and science issues.

Main Source: 
The Hill, August 7, 2002

Inking Out the Government Printing Office

by Sheldon Rampton — July 30, 2002 - 10:00pm

The Government Printing Office, which is responsible for printing the multitude of documents produced by the federal government, may be abolished according to an order by the White House Office of Management and the Budget. The OMB describes the order as a cost-saving measure, but critics say it may cost more money than the present system. Worse, it threatens public access to information.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, July 31, 2002

How to Blow the Whistle

by Sheldon Rampton — July 21, 2002 - 10:00pm

Whistleblowers play a vital role in stopping government misconduct, but they often pay a heavy price. "Retaliation can include marginalization, firings, loss of promotions, and even death threats," writes Katherine Uraneck. Thomas Devine of the Government Accountability Project says whistleblowers should expect some retaliation. "Before sticking their necks out, whistleblowers should carefully plan a survival strategy," he advises.

Main Source: 
The Scientist, July 22, 2002
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