20 February 2010.

The BBC Radio interview occurred yesterday at the BBC News bureau in New York located in a media palace with the Associated Press on a floor principally occupied by WNET-TV public television. The BBC persons were disarmingly courteous, Englishly distracted, indifferent about Cryptome's video-taping of the busy operation and apologetic about delay in establishing connection with Chris Vallance in Britain.

The video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b08Klwhj-I4

Cryptome did not record the interview due to an electromagnetic clash with BBC's gear.

Cryptome's version of the engagingly testy interview highlights:

Before the interview began Chris said he was surprised that Cryptome had published an account (below) of emails and telephone discussion, objected to Cryptome's characterization of his remarks, and the disclosure of his telephone number. Cryptome encouraged him to provide his version for publication here although acknowledging BBC will do that by composition of the show.

Chris repeatedly posed questions on the need for regulation of information to protect the public.

Cryptome observed that is a conventional argument of authoritatives (government, commerce, institutions, the privileged) whose main purpose is to control information in their interest not the public's. Instead the public should itself control access to information, especially about authoritatives.

Chris asked if there was any information Cryptome would not publish, even top secret information that would threaten a nation.

Cryptome said those questions are often posed as bait, that there is slight chance that "nation-threatening" information will ever be sent to Cryptome, that instead it is authoritatives who release such information when it suits their purpose.

That authoritatives are the principal source of classified and confidential information released to the public through orchestrated freedom of information and "openness" programs to appear public-friendly, but which corrupt public discourse and comprehension with carefully prepared disinformation in concert with other authoritatives, especially those who traffic in official statements, deliberate leaks and disclosures by unidentified officials "not authorized to speak" but who do so avidly.

Chris asked if Cryptome recognized the danger of releasing unauthorized and unvalidated information, in particular using the Internet.

Cryptome said there was little danger in that, the danger comes from too much control of information by authoritatives in the classic one-to-many manipulation of the public. Many-to-many handling of information is far superior and the Internet can be highly effective for that purpose if the current initiative by authoritatives to clamp down its unruly nature is resisted.

That may require several Internets: wide-open public discourse, special interest public, government, commerce, institutional, military, intelweb, and the like, with capability for novel and risky developments. This would recognize and maintain the benefits of the early Internet before the authoritatives decided to capitalize on, exploit and regulate its free-wheeling popularity "to protect the public and the nation."

Chris cited the need for reputation protection against anonymous attackers.

Cryptome said reputation is a pretentious conceit to overvalue, that it deserves sustained attack not protection, the greater the reputation the more need for challenge whether anonymous or open. Anonymous challenges guard against authoritative abuse to protect unquestioned privilege. Those attacked should counterattack by the same means rather than demand authoritative intervention, to continuously demonstrate capability not to hide its husk's emptiness under libel law -- the latter is a vestige of ancient inherited privilege of authoritatives.

Chris said the show would "go out in a week or two."

Email exchange after the interview:

Subject: RE: BBC Radio Request
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:21:19 -0000
From: "Chris Vallance-INTERNET" <chris.vallance@bbc.co.uk>
To: "John Young" <jya@pipeline.com>

John, thank you so much for your time today. It was a pleasure to speak with you.

Have a good weekend.

With best wishes,

Chris Vallance.

__________

Chris,

And thank you for a stimulating, constructive oppositional exchange.

And more thanks to the most courteous staff in New York -- Thomas Lane and Rinehart LNU.

Small correction in one of my comments: I said in 1991 I spoke in Britain on the matter of what Cryptome would not publish; that was 2000, though probably not correctable in audio except by engineering wizardry at tampering with data stream.

Should you wish, Cryptome would welcome your counterview to whatever distortions you find it publishes about you and BBC.

And, as with BBC Culture Show, I request a copy of the complete raw interview.

To extend my comments on this topic: Culture Show did not provide a copy of the show itself as promised, nor a copy of the raw interview I requested in exchange for the interview and signing away of copyright.

Best regards,

John

16 February 2010

Subject: BBC Radio Request
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:02:23 -0000
From: "Chris Vallance-INTERNET" <chris.vallance[at]bbc.co.uk>
To: <ny[at]natsios-young.com>

Hello.

I'm a reporter with the BBC World Service,

I'm trying to reach John Young or Deborah Natsios for a possible interview about Cryptome. It's for a series running on the World Service. My focus is the power of the internet to publish censored/legally restricted material and the ethical issues surrounding that. Happy to talk through what I'm looking for.

With thanks,

Chris Vallance
+447905302064

http://www.bbc.co.uk. This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically stated.If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system.Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it and notify the sender immediately.Please note that the BBC monitors e-mails sent or received.Further communication will signify your consent to this.

Dear Mr. Vallance,

It will be a pleasure to speak with you when convenient.

Telephone: (US) 212-873-8700.

Best regards,

John Young
Cryptome.org

Subject: RE: BBC Radio Request
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:42:46 -0000
From: "Chris Vallance-INTERNET" <chris.vallance[at]bbc.co.uk>
To: "John Young" <jya[at]pipeline.com>

Thanks John,

Hi Chris,

Sorry to have missed your call. Just tried your number, no answer. I will be here for most of the day:

(US) 212-873-8700

John

Chris called to discuss the prospects for a Cryptome interview.

He said a recent BBC Radio report on Wikileaks was broadcast. This interview will address Cryptome's experience and views of more general issues:

Net censorship; the role of websites in publishing materials forbidden or restricted in home countries; whether there should be limits placed on publication; protection of the public from erroneous, unreliable and national security-threating information; the "dividing line" between reliable and unreliable information; differences between reputable media and the disreputable Internet; authoritative media and unauthoritative Internet.

Cryptome said limits on publishable information should not be set by governments or other authoritatives, rather set only by consumers of the information. Consumers should run many outlets for information of their choosing. The Internet is the best means for that at the moment but will have to withstand attempts to restrict it according to authoritatives self-interest -- government, commerce, institutions, wealthy individuals.

Chris said that the media has a responsiblity to protect its consumers, governments their citizens and institutions their believers.

Cryptome said that is what all authoritatives say to defend their privileges.

Chris said Wikileaks is complicit with the main media not an alternative.

Cryptome said Wikileaks and other leak sources -- there should be many more -- launder information fed to it by the media and others. Leaks depend upon secrets, they thrive on each other. Leakers and secret keepers are complicit and share characteristics: both exaggerate the importance of information they process, keep secret their sources and operations. Like other authoritatives, the media and leakers are not transparent. Media and leakers spy on their sources and vice versa. Leakers are media, authoritative, desire to control information, boost their reputation without accountability, garner belief in their shadowy cause, cultivate vainglory.

Chris asked what was the effect of communications technology, especially the Internet, on publication of information.

Cryptome said that technology of spying on Internet users has become far greater with the rise and popularity of the Internet. That commercial spying is likely much greater than that by governments. That some governments are regulated but commercial firms hide their confidential spying behind misleading privacy policies. That search engines are the principles means of commercial spying but websites of all types spy through log files. That log files and user data are a covert government/industry enterprise that is not sufficiently covered by commercial media which have stake in keeping it secret; that freedom of information is a marketing ploy to release only selected information through "reputable" outlets.

Chris said he had enough to consider an on-the-record interview.

Cryptome said its views are always on-the-record, that it will publish this discussion and its version of any interview.

Chris cautioned that little or none of the Cryptome interview would be used.

Cryptome said that is an authoritative gambit.

Chris said he will try to make arrangements for an interview at BBC New York City.

_________

Chris called to say the interview is set for 10AM, Friday, February 19, 2010, at the BBC bureau, 450 West 33rd Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY, ID required for access. It will be recorded not live, no date given for broadcast.