Assange's "When Google Met WikiLeaks" Highlights Peril of 'Invisible Censorship' in Digital Age

Julian Assange's book, "When Google Met WikiLeaks," has brought renewed attention to concerns surrounding online information suppression, particularly the practice of replacing legally challenged content with "page not found" errors. This method, described by Assange, effectively erases historical records from the intellectual landscape, including the indexed archives of major publications like The Guardian. The discussion emphasizes WikiLeaks' core mission to preserve politically salient intellectual content under threat.

The book, published in 2014, chronicles a 2011 meeting between Assange and then-Google CEO Eric Schmidt, where they debated the internet's future and the clash between digital freedom and corporate influence. Assange's perspective, as detailed in the book, posits that the internet's liberating power stems from its statelessness, contrasting with Schmidt's view of emancipation aligning with U.S. foreign policy. This philosophical divide underpins the broader issue of information control.

The tweet, attributed to Adam Townsend, directly quotes a passage from Assange's work, stating, "> "...If you go to those URLs you will not see 'removed due to legal threats.' You will see 'page not found.' ... Not only have they ceased to exist, they have ceased to have ever existed. Which is the modern implementation of Orwell's dictum that he controls the present controls the past and he who controls the past controls the future." This highlights a deliberate obfuscation of content removal reasons.

This "invisible censorship" contrasts with transparent notices that explicitly state content has been removed due to legal threats or court orders. Such practices make it difficult for the public to discern why information disappears, thereby undermining accountability and historical accuracy. WikiLeaks, founded in 2006, aims to counter such suppression by providing a secure platform for whistleblowers and publishing original source material, asserting that its mission is to reveal bits that people are trying to suppress.

The debate over online content removal transparency continues to be a critical issue for freedom of information advocates globally. While platforms like Google have mechanisms for legal removal requests, the method of disappearance—whether a clear notice or a generic "page not found"—significantly impacts public understanding and the integrity of the digital record. The implication is that without clear attribution for removal, the past can be reshaped, as suggested by Assange's invocation of Orwell.