ABSTRACT

If the Al-Qaeda terrorists who attacked the United States in 2001 wanted to weaken the West, they achieved their mission by striking a blow at the heart of democracy.

Since 9/11 governments including those of the USA, the UK, France and Australia have introduced tough, intimidating legislation to discourage the legitimate activities of a probing press, so greatly needed after the Iraq War proved that executive government could not be trusted.

Often hiding behind arguments about defending national security and fighting the war on terror, governments criminalised legitimate journalistic work, ramping up their attacks on journalists’ sources, and the whistle-blowers who are so essential in keeping governments honest.

Through detailed research and analysis, this book, which includes interviews with leading figures in the field, including Edward Snowden, explains how mass surveillance and anti-terror laws are of questionable value in defeating terrorism, but have had a ‘chilling effect’ on one of the foundations of democracy: revelatory journalism.

chapter |8 pages

Introduction

chapter 1|12 pages

An island of hope

chapter 2|10 pages

Heart of darkness

chapter 3|12 pages

Spin and deception

chapter 4|25 pages

The truth teller

chapter 5|19 pages

An untimely collapse

chapter 6|20 pages

Shielding the source

chapter 7|20 pages

Spies, lies and US industries

chapter 8|26 pages

Truth to power

chapter 9|27 pages

The clampdown

chapter 10|19 pages

The chilling effect

chapter 11|19 pages

Too much information

chapter 12|11 pages

Whose side are you on?

chapter 13|4 pages

Shooting the messenger