What Is Internet Activism?

While analyzing the Deep Web’s interface functions to support its authenticity as a public sphere, there continue to be weaknesses that inhibit its mass adoption; the media. Much of the public and media interest in the Deep Web stemmed the arrests of the owners of Silk Road, an online store that exclusively sells illegal narcotics. With events like these, the media portrays the Deep Web as a paradise for technological criminals and hackers. For example, journalist John Merrel writes an article on the website Uwire, discussing the criminality of the Deep Web. Using language describing the Deep Web like “hidden” and “secret,” and horror stories like the use of hired assassins, the journalist supports the stereotype that the Deep Web only
However, as previously mentioned, the public sphere is an important political tool in democratic society because it gives citizens the power to influence political action. In consideration of Internet studies, the subject are of subcultures will be analyzed, identifying Internet activism as a major contribution to the influence of political action. The organization WikiLeaks will show how the Deep Web public sphere influences domestic political action, and the Arab Springs protests will demonstrate how the public sphere influences extraterritorial political action. First, WikiLeaks is a media organization that is known to publish and leak sensitive and secret governmental documents in the interest of public knowledge, resulting in political change. While many anonymous journalists are responsible for some of the leaks, the organization also allows anonymous submissions to be accepted through the use of Tor in mention of its security due to the technology. The influence of WikiLeaks on political action will be discussed further, however it is important to note the importance of openness within the WikiLeak organization subculture. By not having the ability to leak documents be restricted to journalists, WikiLeaks promotes the open and equal
By using WikiLeaks as both a platform for releasing information and a form of financial support, Edward Snowden, a previous Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee, leaked documents which stated that Nation Security Agency (NSA) had launched several worldwide surveillance programs with help from telecommunications companies. The leak resulted in widespread public outcry in the concern of the government invading citizen’s privacy, as well as charges against Edward Snowden for espionage, resulting in him seeking asylum in Russia, where he currently resides. While his ethics behind the whistleblowing is highly debated amongst the public, the leaks have undoubtedly identified a social and political issues and concern with invasion of privacy with technology, resulting in the Deep Web causing political action in accordance with the purpose of a public sphere. In Canada for example, the 2015 federal election surrounded the privacy invasive Bill C-51 due to the public interest on the topic, with the know-elected Liberals looking to amend the bill, and the NDP opposition looking to abolish it. Thus, the Deep Web served as an anonymous space which allowed subcultures like activism with citizens like Snowden to identify a political and social issue, resulting in political change on a