From mf@mediafilter.org Wed Apr 15 00:05:01 1998
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 14:34:32 -0500
From: MediaFilter
To: Ars Electronica
Subject: Re: Declaration of INFOWAR.
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This is not infowar.
It's only petty chicanery by self-appointed
"artist" wannabes masquerading in a role they
couldn't begin to understand.
- --Paul Garrin
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>DECLARATION OF INFOWAR!
>
>Over the past few weeks rumors have been circulating, both
>on the Internet and international print, television and
>radio media, concerning the libelous distribution of a fake
>program announcement for the forthcoming Ars Electronica
>festival, "INFOWAR."
>
>This hoax appeared to have been distributed by Ars
>Electronica's own mailing list, and was sent to numerous
>members of our art and business community in an unwarranted
>attempt to undermine relations with our most valued
>sponsors. This access to our private lists initially led us
>to suspect an 'inside job', and therefore we held off
>distributing a public denial while conducting a thorough
>investigative check on our staff and volunteers. After a
>complete investigation, we are certain that our security has
>been breached by an outside source.
>
>We are preparing to fight the spread of disinformation that
>has unsuccessfully attempted to undermine the curatorial
>integrity of Ars Electronica. We will utilize techniques of
>blocking, jamming and deletion to flush out suspected
>assailants.
>
>[Please find the original German posting translated below.]
>
>
>THIS IS INFOWAR !
>
>Ars Electronica has reason to believe the info-warriors were
>vain enough to include themselves in the hoax list of
>participating artists. From now until the capture and
>disclosure of the cyber-terrorists, all parties mentioned in
>this hoax will be removed from all Ars Electronica events.
>Please note that we plan to prosecute to the full extent of
>the law. We ask that any individual with any information
>that might lead to the exposure of the criminals step
>forward in order to expedite the removal of these imposed
>sanctions. Ars Electronica is offering financial
>compensation or public commemoration to any individual or
>organization offering information leading to the
>perpetrators. Information by parties wishing to remain
>anonymous will also be accepted.
>
>Documentation of this conflict will be exhibited at the Ars
>Electronica Infowar festival at an event and symposium
>entitled "The Advantage of Recuperation".
>
>
>RUMORS
>
>We wish to dispel a number of false rumors that have been
>circulating around this incident, mistakenly perpetuated by
>the international media and Internet art community.
>
>1. Our corporate sponsorship remains intact and unaffected
>by this incident.
>
>It has been suggested that our trusted relationships with
>existing sponsors have been damaged, and that we have been
>seeking new funding sources; this is not the case. It is
>also not true that Ars Electronica Festival is in financial
>crisis after the reported withdrawal of Arbeiter Kammer, Sun
>Microsystems and Siemens Nixdorf. Organizations the size of
>Ars Electronica regularly reassess their partnerships,
>making additions and withdrawals daily occurrences: this
>process has remained unscathed by this minor hoax.
>
>
>2. We suspect a group of charlatans NOT rival companies and
>sponsors.
>
>We must dispel rumors that this crime was initiated by a
>rival company or a former corporate sponsor. Again there is
>no evidence to substantiate this claim and is most likely an
>attempt by the responsible artists or hackers to cover their
>own tracks.
>
>
>3. This is NOT an art project submition to the Infowar
>festival, but a poor attempt to undermine a valuable themed
>show.
>
>This crime must NOT be misinterpretted as art. In its lack of
>institutional context, and in its disruption of order, is
>merely misplaced propaganda and an aimless and meaningless
>criminal act. Art MUST reflect the order of things and NOT
>oppose them. It MUST draw attention to itself and NOT to
>external issues.
>
>Naive supporters of this hoax have repeatedly suggested that
>the best art can be made without the aid of high-tech
>corporations or institutional sponsorship, which is clearly
>not supported or substantiated by the facts of history.
>
>
>THE FUTURE PLAN
>
>To prevent further security breaches all future
>communications, (this one included), will be authenticated
>with a digital signature. If you receive further unsigned
>email that appears to originate from Ars Electronica,
>please delete immediately.
>
>
>>Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1998 14:58:40 +0100
>>To: Ars Electronica
>>From: Ars Electronica
>>Mime-Version: 1.0
>>Subject: INFOWAR - Weapons of Contemporary Communications Technology.
>>Precedence: bulk
>>Cc:100665.2767@compuserve.com,
>>7-11@ljudmila.org,
>>a3boom! (magazin fuer marketing) ,
>>agent@blast.org,
>>american_express@irational.org,
>>angela_hesse@yr.com,
>>angelika.boettcher@mch.sni.de,
>>apa austria presse agentur marketing ,
>>appletime (zeitschrift) ,
>>b.bauer@libro.at,
>>b.fasching@libro.at,
>>b.goed@libro.at,
>>brian springer ,
>>cadams@wordmark.com,
>>calin dan
>>christine.schaefer@mch.sni.de,
>>com (computerzeitschrift erb-verlag)
>,
>>computerwelt ,
>>contact@presseamt.com,
>>critical art ensemble <72722.3157@compuserve.com>,
>>david blair ,
>>dberkowi@us.oracle.com,
>>debra solomon ,
>>der neue grazer ,
>>der standard (tageszeitung) ,
>>diana mccarty ,
>>ericsson.austria@sea.ericsson.se ,
>>erwin.mayr@mch.sni.de,
>>etoy
>>eugene kashpureff ,
>>eva grubinger ,
>>eyebeam@list.thing.net,
>>fiala franz (chefredakeur pc-news) ,
>>frannie armstrong ,
>>freyschlag@ak-ooe.gv.at,
>>g.garherr@libro.at,
>>gary singh ,
>>gdupuis@microsoft.com,
>>geert lovink ,
>>graham harwood ,
>>heathert@mkinc.com,
>>heidil@mkinc.com,
>>hightech presse ,
>>horstm@microsoft.com,
>>igler andre (wirtschaftsblatt) ,
>>info@graz.net,
>>info@newsbureau.com,
>>info@vickers-systems.com
>>ingo gçnther ,
>>ingrid_haas@hp.com,
>>internet@presse.vienna.at,
>>jesis ,
>>jg@email-wz.oesd.co.at,
>>john perry barlow ,
>>jones@ivex3d.com,
>>jordan crandall ,
>>journal networks ,
>>kapper harald (computerwelt) ,
>>knowbotic research ,
>>kultur@derstandard.at,
>>kunstradio ,
>>
>>
>>PRESS RELEASE 02.04.98
>>
>>Ars Electronica 98
>>INFOWAR - Weapons of Contemporary Communications Technology.
>>7.-12. Sept. 98
>>Linz, Austria
>>
>>For further information please contact:
>>Maria Falkinger / Gabi Hofer
>>Presse und Information
>>Tel: +43.732.7272-72
>>Fax: +43.732.7272-77
>>e-mail: info@aec.at
>>On line - Information: http://www.aec.at
>>
>>Curated by: gerfried stocker
>>
>>
>>InfoWar
>>
>>The Ars Electronica Festival of Art, Technology and Society,
>>presents work on the social and political definition of the
>>information society. The emphasis here will lie not on
>>technological flights of fancy, but on the fronts drawn up
>>in a society that is in a process of fundamental and violent
>>upheaval. The critical aspects of information warfare are
>>information denial, protection and distortion.
>>
>>The latest upheaval caused by the series of critical texts
>>and press releases periodically distributed by Ars
>>Electronica anonymously since December 1997 has laid bare
>>the vulnerability of a global market as well as the
>>impossibility of regulating ownership and authority in the
>>electronic circus, such as only the digital revolution could
>>have mothered. Hegemonic critical discourses are losing
>>their power in regulating the international value of their
>>currencies; they can no longer control, but only react. This
>>was acutely illustrated in the indignant and outraged
>>reactions to the critical forgeries of the last months, in
>>response to the release of information warfare targeting the
>>art world with forged texts masquerading as art world
>>players such as Timothy Druckery, Peter Weibel, Mark Amerika
>>and Joshua Decter, faked exhibition press releases for
>>nonexistent shows at Los Angeles County Museum of Art,
>>Lisson Gallery in London, among other incidents. The
>>outcries against these works focused mainly on the legality
>>and the political viability of the strategy of info-warfare
>>and came both from individuals and institutional forces with
>>unacknowledged investment in a mainstream international art
>>world. Such reactions revealed a deeply entrenched
>>commitment to an authoritative system of control and power
>>that is rapidly fading. Those witnessing their positions of
>>power undermined, and hard pressed to loosen their hold of
>>the control of signification, have desperately sought out
>>retaliation by threatening litigation and through base name
>>calling, accusing their so called victimizers of naivete,
>>ignorance, self promotion and racism.
>>
>>One cannot help but question the nature of the political
>>investment of each of these so called counterculture
>>critics, each of whom understand the forgeries as personal
>>attacks, revealing the way in which their private investment
>>in their own power and authority overshadowed postures of
>>radical, avant-garde or leftist agendas.
>>
>>This infowar ammunition, initially released as a means to
>>provoke debate and discussion about power, investment and
>>the status of information as commodity in the art world, has
>>served its aims well. Casualties in the form of polarization
>>of individuals and bad faith accusations directed at
>>underground net artists are an inevitable aftermath of any
>>war, whether a war of bodies or a war of information.
>>
>>It is without a doubt that those who master the techniques
>>of information warfare will find themselves at an advantage
>>over those who have not; indeed, information warfare where
>>machines fight machines will, in and of itself, relegate
>>other organ and blood based warfare to the sidelines. We
>>will finally be able to experience the aesthetics of pure
>>war.
>>
>>
>>
>>PROGRAM OF EVENTS
>>
>>SYMPOSIUM
>>
>>Nihilism On The Run.
>>
>> "The new cultural battlefield of electromagnetic waves,
>> jamming, sensors and deception is an unavoidable electronic
>> plane which intersects even the most ardent luddite",
>> President of Vickers Incorporated.
>>
>> Moderation: Geert Lovink, writer.
>>
>> Leaving The Self Build Castles.
>>
>> "The Most Radical Gesture is Sacrifice", Kali.
>>
>> Speakers: - Mark Dery, theorist.
>> - Sadie Plant, writer.
>> - Peter Lamborn Wilson, writer.
>> - Frannie Armstrong, aktivist.
>> - Graham Harwood, artist.
>> - Critical Art Ensemble, writers.
>> - Calin Dan, artist.
>> - Diana McCarty, activist.
>> - Keiko Sei, curator.
>>
>> Console Revolutionaries.
>>
>> "The Internet has become a new medium for political imagination
>> and a new form of social representation, due particularly
>> to the mediation possibilities provided by the World Wide
>> Web.", Dewy Reid, Creative Director, Microsoft Network.
>>
>> Speakers: - Benjamin Weil, Curator.
>> - Ingo Gunther, artist.
>> - John Perry Barlow, activist.
>> - Richard Barbrook, writer.
>>
>>
>>PROJECTS
>>
>>Seven forms of information warfare -- conflicts that involve
>>the protection, manipulation, degradation, and denial of
>>information -- can be distinguished:
>>
>>Command-And-Control Warfare (which strikes against the enemy's head
>and neck).
>>Decapitation can be accomplished by a blow to the head or by severing
>the
>>neck, each thrust serving a different tactical and strategic purpose.
>>Gunning for the commander's head is an old aspect of warfare:
>>
>> Installationen - The Naval Research Laboratory Tactical Electronic
>Warfare
>> Division shows "10,000 Invisible Iraqi Corpses",
>inspired
>> by Jim Gasperini.
>>
>> Event - Using Digital Equipment's Rackmount Digital
>> MicroVAX 3100 Simon Poulter presents "Going For
>Gold".
>>
>> Network - With Compaq's Professional Workstation 5000
>> Paul Garrin hosts Name Space.
>>
>> Exhibitions - Netnames Plc introduces data interception works
>> "Success In Warfare Is Gained By Carefully
>Accommodating
>> Ourselves To The Enemies Purpose" by Trina Mould.
>> - Microsoft with the aid of PowerPoint¨ 97 for
>Windows¨
>> 95 introduces "There's nowhere left to go".
>>
>>Intelligence-Based Warfare (which consists of the design, protection,
>and
>>denial of systems that seek sufficient knowledge to dominate the
>>battlespace):
>>
>> Installationen - Stanford University's Hoover Institution on War,
>> Revolution, and Peace shows "Practice
>Dissimulation
>> And You Will Succeed", work by Natalie
>Jeremijenko.
>>
>> Event - Adt Security Systems premier "Rapid Eye"
>performance,
>> endorsed by Julia Scher.
>>
>> Network - With the aid of Hewlett-Packard's HP 9000
>Enterprise
>> Servers, I/O/D Inc. distributes "The Web Stalker".
>>
>> Exhibitions - Reuters Holdings PLC "5 Minutes Delayed",
>> authenticated by Antonio Muntadas.
>> - IVEX shows "Aero Realty - Visual Systems For
>> Simulation", validated by Ken Goldberg.
>>
>>Electronic Warfare (radio, electronic or cryptographic techniques):
>>
>> Installationen - ORF Nachrichten introduces "The Ardent Cultural
>> Battlefield Luddite", representing Brian Springer.
>>
>> Event - Oesterreichische Brau Ag in conjunction with
>> The Zapatistas presents "Press/ Ferment/ Release".
>>
>> Network - Creditanstalt International releases "Pretty Good
>Profit",
>> in association with Phil Zimmerman.
>>
>> Exhibitions - Oracle Corporation opens "Born In The Era Of The
>Internet",
>> endorsed by Jenny Holzer.
>> - Ericsson Austria AG presents using their Mobile
>Datennetze
>> (Mobitex), "OZONE - The Portable Pirate Radio
>Station".
>>
>>Psychological Warfare (in which information is used to change the
>minds of
>>friends, neutrals, and foes):
>>
>> Installationen - Silicon Graphics Inc installs Integrated
>Ballistics
>> Identification System IBISTM for the piece
>"Propagating
>> Posthuman Paranoia", recommended by N. Katherine
>Hayles.
>>
>> Event - Netscape Communications Corporation hosts "Avoid
>What
>> Is Strong And Strike At What Is Weak", with
>special
>> guest Hakim Bey.
>>
>> Network - Libro Online launches "Cyberthugees - Character
>> Assassination", with virtual signings by Luther
>Blisset.
>>
>> Exhibitions - Arbeiterkammer Oberssterreich shows documentation
>of
>> black email hate campaigns, researched by
>Jealousie.
>> - Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG opens
>"Leading
>> The Enemy By The Leash", assisted by Valie Export.
>>
>>Hacker Warfare (In which computer systems are attacked):
>>
>> Installationen - Softimage opens "Machinen uber menschen" using
>> Softimage|DS, with help from Ingo Gunther.
>>
>> Event - Martin Mitnic performs "Divine Manipulation Of The
>> Threads" live from goal !
>>
>> Network - Matel launches "Workers Hack The Pentagon To Boost
>> Subversion Funds", backed by Rtmark.
>>
>> Exhibitions - Rop Gongrip of XS4ALL shows counter Cyberpromo
>> documentation.
>> - Alternic Network Information Center presents
>"Virtual
>> Frontline", inspired by Eugene Kashpureff.
>>
>>Economic Information Warfare (blocking information or channeling it
>>to pursue economic dominance):
>>
>> Instalationen - Dow Jones' employee Nick Leason formerly of
>Bearings Bank
>> shows "Unsanctioned Activities".
>>
>> Event - Quantum Funds' George Soros makes a practical
>> demonstration of The Theorie of Reflexivity.
>>
>> Network - National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) hosts
>"ECHELON -
>> Intercept The Ordinary", with cooperation from
>> Toshio Iwai.
>> - S plus S marketing releases "Weapons of
>Contemporary
>> Communications Technology".
>>
>> Exhibitions - Albanian Democratic Party presents Albanian
>pyramid
>> marketing entitled "With the DP everybody wins".
>> - Ars Electronica Marketing department reveals
>"Ersatz
>> Posting Scandal of Late 1997".
>>
>>Cyberwarfare (a grab bag of futuristic scenarios):
>>
>> Installationen - McDonnell Douglas presents "all warfare is based
>on
>> deception" with the aid of Defense Message System
>(DMS),
>> supported by Knowbotic Research.
>>
>> Event - Center for Defense Information will host "Search
>for
>> secret Soviet intelligence weapons depots in the
>> Austrian Alps" with ETOY as mountain guides.
>>
>> Network - France Telecom North America introduces "Reflex
>> Forum - a counter gang artists project".
>>
>> Exhibitions - General Dynamics discusses "Anti Soviet becomes
>Anti
>> Islam Corpse Concealing Propaganda", endorsed by
>> David Blair.
>> - Sun Microsystems' SPARCengineTM CP family hosts
>> "C@C - Computer Aided Commodification", researched
>
>> by Eva Grubinger.
>
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