Sweden?s chief prosecutor is still after Julian Assange

Sexual Assault Case Against WikiLeaks Founder Reopened

Sweden?s chief prosecutor has reopened a rape investigation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Recently, Assange was accused with crimes of molestation and rape by the Swedish authorities. Assange has denied the allegations, claiming they are ?without basis,? and later calling the case a ?smear campaign? against him and WikiLeaks.

Don?t Hide Behind the Women: What is Relevant in the Story About Julian Assange and the Rape Accusation?

One of the first points I wanted to make is that I dreaded from the start the extent to which Julian Assange had become the public persona for Wikileaks, believing it to be unnecessary and a point of vulnerability. When a project that is larger than any one person becomes publicly identified with one person, then smears against the one become smears against all. This is exactly what we see happening in Twitter, which right now is the primary place where news and debates about the Wikileaks case are moving most quickly (click here to see the stream).

WikiLeaks Founder Calls Rape Accusations a ?Smear Campaign?

from Mashable! by Samuel Axon

Sweden denies US pressure in Wikileaks rape affair

from EUobserver.com – Headline News

WikiLeaks founder in open and shut case

from FT.com – World, Europe

A rape charge against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was dropped by Swedish prosecutors on Saturday just hours after it was revealed sparking fresh conspiracy theories about the whistleblower website and its critics

Wikileaks publishes CIA “Red Cell” memo on risks of US perceived as “exporter of terrorism”

from Boing Boing by Xeni Jardin

Wikirapes: Assange cleared in Sweden; Pentagon/CIA “sex trap” theories now limp, flaccid

The Associated Press reports that Wikileaks frontman Julian Assange has been cleared of all allegations of rape and “molestation” in Sweden. From all available reports, it sounds like the story involved a trip down the drama-hole between Assange and two female acquaintances, one of whom apparently volunteered with Wikileaks?not any act of physical coercion, and not any crime. Reason deftly debunks the conspiracy theories of Pentagon/CIA “dirty tricks,” “smears,” and “sex traps,” which Assange himself blamed as the scandal spread this past weekend. Newsweek reports way, way, way more than I wanted to know about Mr. Assange’s (alleged) intimate habits.

THE WAR AGAINST WIKILEAKS

The war between Wikileaks and its opponents (governments, corporations, etc.) took an interesting turn on Sunday (22 August 2010).  A battle was fought online, within the global social network.   Here’s how it played out.  In rapid succession:

1. Julian Assange was charged with rape (in Sweden) and an arrest warrant was issued,
2. the swedish tabloid Expressen “broke” the story, and
3. a swedish judge threw out the charge.

NYT debunks allegations of Pentagon “dirty tricks” behind Wikileaks rape scandal

This New York Times article by John Burns (who is no stranger to warzones) suggests that the “CIA Swedish Sex Trap” conspiracy theories around the recent Julian Assange rape allegations may be unfounded.

Older Adults Nearly Double Social Media Presence [STATS]

from Mashable! by Samuel Axon

Net Neutrality: 7 Worst Case Scenarios

from Mashable! by Sarah Kessler

Facebook Should Stop Censoring Marijuana Legalization Campaign Ads

Facebook is facing down another embarrassing episode of censorship this week after refusing to show ads submitted by the Just Say Now marijuana legalization campaign. The gag is an important reminder that social networks like Facebook ? while useful, interesting, and pretty ? are “walled gardens” with overseers whose interests can overwrite free speech, open communication, and in this case, essential political debate. (In this they have something in common with Apple.)

Older People Will Change Social Networks

Anyone who suggests that social networks are dominated by young people will slowly, but surely, discover this is no longer the case.

According to a recent Pew Internet study, the number of online users over 50-years-old using social neworks nearly doubled to 42% in May 2010 from 22% in April 2009, while social networking usage in the 50-to-64-year-old demographic soared 88% to 47% from 25%. Meanwhile, social networking use among users ages 18-29 grew by 13%?from 76% to 86%.