Julian Assange Has Been Free for a Year
Whether or not you agree with the politics (or political orientation) of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, you cannot cast doubt on the simple fact that he changed a lot in the world. With Assange I coined "GAFAM" and he also helped me popularise "social control media", which I had coined. Many people now use both terms.
I never made a secret of or about it; Julian Assange and I disagreed on some things and he privately contacted me about some. So did his barrister. Just because we cannot agree on everything doesn't mean I'll publicly "attack" him like other former "allies" of his (phony friends) did. His mother deemed me a reliable friend and one who was consistent. She got trolled to 'death' in social control media, which she quit many times due to abuse (or got suspended).
I am quite certain Mr. Assange will make a more proper and complete comeback. The question is, when. He did come to Europe this year because of a festival with a movie about him, but his wife and others said he was not ready to do interviews, at least not yet. A year ago she said the same. One year later she said he was still recovering. It's not just about physical recovery but also mental. I know what he went through and it's understandable. He needs time. The UN figure in a particular area of operation (UN Special Rapporteur on torture) deemed what he went through to be torture.
I am thankful for the "Assange effect". He showed that "scientific journalism" (or what some deem "radical transparency") can change the world for the better.
I never met the guy in person, he now lives very far away, but that does not mean he didn't change my view of the world and the obligation to inform people, protect sources etc. Unlike Wikileaks, I've managed to always protect all my sources. Now I fight for some of them in the courtroom [1, 2]. █