Will Potter's Blog, page 10
June 19, 2014
A Reading List From My Ted Talk
The TED Ideas Blog has a list of articles and books to check out for more information on my TED talk.
From TED:
So-called “ag-gag laws” seek to make it illegal to photograph animal cruelty on factory farms — and have already been passed in states such as Utah, Iowa, Missouri, and Idaho, with more to come. Yet too few of us seem to know about what’s going on in these farms — or why such wrong-headed laws are being passed. After all, carnivore or not, don’t we all care that our food comes from safe, hygienic environments? As Mark Bittman wrote in 2011, “poll after poll finds that almost everyone believes that even if it costs more, farm animals should be treated humanely” — and yet the law seems to be moving in the opposite direction.
Investigative journalist Will Potter wants to change that — or at least draw attention to twisted laws that, as he puts it, might lead to more jail time for exposing cruelty than for committing it. Here, he shares a list of useful resources for anyone looking to find out more about what’s going on in this world, including a few self-penned pieces, a look at how certain FBI agents are so desperate to thwart a terrorist plot they’ll even go about creating one — and one more uplifting read for anyone whose soul feels crushed at the insane nightmare of it all.
Check out the list on TED.com.
June 17, 2014
Kickstarter fully funded! Announcing new stretch goals to expand the investigation…
My Kickstarter to use drones to investigate factory farms was fully funded in just 5 days! Thank you for making this happen!
When I created this project, I wasn’t sure how it would be received. I was inspired by satellite photos, like this one from photographer Mishka Henner, and wondered what a drone could document. I set the funding goals at the bare minimum to cover costs, and crossed my fingers that I could even meet that goal.
But the response to this project has been overwhelming. In addition to being a top journalism project being featured by Kickstarter, and top pick of The Guardian newspaper, it’s also receiving incredible attention from Civil Eats, Ecorazzi, and more. (And Kickstarter’s CEO Yancy Strickler even chipped in!)
It’s also getting the attention of the agriculture industry, and some are already threatening to shoot down the cameras.
It’s clear that this investigation has resonated with a wide-ranging audience. And so as soon as it became clear that the project would be fully funded in just a few days, I began working with photographers and journalists to map out how it could be expanded.
Today, I’m excited to announce a plan to expand the project, and a new fundraising goal of $95,000.
With that new goal I will:
* Expand the photography tools used to include thermal/night vision lenses
* Upgrade the drone to a model that can handle a heavier payload (which means I can upgrade the camera to a HD SLR)
* Expand the number of states and farms investigated
* Purchase an additional drone through Fotokite, a project of a TED Fellow colleague that I’m sure you will agree offers some creative, unique opportunities in the investigation. See it in action here. It will also be good to have an additional drone in case mine is shot down.
* Offer new rewards (they’ll be posted on the page shortly)
Please know that I do not take expansion of this project lightly. The new financial goal is to expand the scope and quality of the investigation. It will be an enormous undertaking, but through Kickstarter I have already met other journalists, academics, activists, and lawyers who are eager to participate. With your help, this can be even more successful.
I hope you’ll consider inviting your friends to contribute to this project, or increasing your own donation. Let’s do this.
Will
June 13, 2014
International Business Times: “Journalist Eyes The Skies For Factory-Farm Investigations”
Here’s a great article by Christopher Zara for the International Business Times about my latest investigation, which is being funded through Kickstarter.
An excerpt:
What if you could capture a drone’s eye view of illegal activity on factory farms? One imaginative journalist thinks you can, and he’s enlisting the help of hundreds of Kickstarter backers to make it happen…
Potter’s campaign comes at a time when the privately held Kickstarter Inc., a pioneer in the crowdfunding revolution, is struggling to compete with newer players such as Indiegogo and GoFundMe. Earlier this month, the site loosened its restrictions, opening up its platform to non-creative projects for the first time. And on Wednesday, Kickstarter added two new categories, “crafts” and “journalism.” The site has always allowed journalistic campaigns, but they would be categorized under a different tag, such as publishing.
As of Thursday afternoon, Potter’s drone campaign topped the list of the new category, which features some 996 projects.
Check out the full Kickstarter page here. It’s already 90% funded! Be on the lookout for how the project will be expanded if we exceed the goal…
June 12, 2014
TED Ideas Blog Asks: “Is This Really the America We Want?”
The TED Ideas Blog has a great post up about my new TED talk. Helen Walters writes:
How can this possibly be the way that law and domestic security are pursued in 21st-century America? Will Potter’s short talk about the way in which the nation’s security agencies attempted to co-opt him, then a Chicago Tribune journalist, should send chills down all our spines. Pair this with the recent news that the Supreme Court apparently doesn’t give two figs about a journalist’s right to keep a source secret, with New York Times journalist James Risen the latest writer at risk of going to jail, and it seems like Houston, Washington, Kansas City, Denver … we have a problem.
American lawmakers are becoming ever-more Kafkaesque in their contorted attempts to reassure us that they’re working in our best interests while suppressing, cajoling and outright bullying those who might hold a different point of view, or who might perhaps attempt to question the status quo. The power exerted by corporations over politicians leads to policies that feel, frankly, contemptuous of the human rights of American citizens — and its creatures. The “ag-gag” laws that aim to criminalize whistleblowing and make it illegal to photograph animal cruelty are the latest example of a topsy-turvy system that rewards money and influence.
It’s easy to become bitter and apathetic in the face of such apparent cynicism. That’s why I’m glad to see folks like Potter who aren’t quite so ready to throw in the towel. Check out his Kickstarter campaign, which looks to combine drone photography with investigative reporting to shine a light on factory farming practices that simply cannot be in anyone’s best interest. A click of a mouse of support isn’t much, but it might stave off abject dejection at the state of the world for just another minute.
If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll check out my TED talk, “The Shocking Move to Criminalize Non-Violent Protest.”
June 11, 2014
New TED Talk: “The shocking move to criminalize nonviolent protest”
My TED talk is live, and on the TED.com homepage!
What an incredible opportunity for millions of people to learn about how our rights to protest are under attack. And as ag-gag laws are spreading globally, it couldn’t come at a better time.
I hope you like it, and if you do please share it! Thanks!
June 9, 2014
I’m Crowdfunding My Next Investigation. (And There Will Be Drones)
Factory farms clearly have something to hide. That’s why “ag-gag” laws, which make it illegal to photograph or film farms and slaughterhouses, are spreading internationally. But the best way to combat such secrecy is with sunlight.
That’s why I’m really excited about my new project. I’ll be using drones to take aerial photographs of factory farms. Check out all the details on Kickstarter!
With your help, I’ll be able to use new investigative journalism tools to expose what some corporations want to keep hidden.
I’m Crowdfunding My Next Investigation. (And There Will Be Drones) from Green Is The New Red
I’m Crowdfunding My Next Investigation. (And There’s Drones)
Factory farms clearly have something to hide. That’s why “ag-gag” laws, which make it illegal to photograph or film farms and slaughterhouses, are spreading internationally. But the best way to combat such secrecy is with sunlight.
That’s why I’m really excited about my new project. I’ll be using drones to take aerial photographs of factory farms. Check out all the details on Kickstarter!
With your help, I’ll be able to use new investigative journalism tools to expose what some corporations want to keep hidden.
June 7, 2014
History Channel Investigates Communications Management Units
Communications Management Units are secretive prison units that were opened illegally, and house prisoners with “inspirational significance,” according to the government.
Recently, former prisoner Daniel McGowan wrote about his experiences for the Huffington Post, and then was thrown back in jail.
The History Channel’s America’s Book of Secrets investigated CMUs on a recent episode. Andy Stepanian, a former CMU prisoner, was interviewed and I spoke about the constitutional concerns of creating special prisons for people because of their political beliefs.
You can watch the episode on the History Channel website.
June 6, 2014
Big News Coming Next Week — Here’s How to Help!
When Amy Meyer was prosecuted under “ag-gag” laws for taking photographs of a slaughterhouse from the street, I wrote about her case; within 24 hours it had created such a storm on social media that the prosecutors dropped all charges.
This only happened because people shared the story.
I’ve got a big announcement coming up next week, and here’s a great way to prepare for it:
By “donating your account,” this news will automatically be shared when it is released. And when everyone shares at once, the social media impact is even bigger. It only takes a moment to sign up!
Only the most important breaking news will be shared, and by planning ahead, we can be proactive in stopping these repressive tactics. THANK YOU!
Australia’s #AgGag Laws Backed To Hide Animal Cruelty
I just got back from my speaking tour against ag-gag laws in Australia, and continues to create quite the debate in the press. Sydney’s New Matilda has a new article about the legislation:
But opponents to ‘ag-gag’ laws see things differently. US journalist and author Will Potter specialises in animal rights and environmental movements, and presented a lecture series around Australia throughout May to raise awareness of the danger of ‘ag-gag’ laws, using the experience of the US as a dire warning.
“By eliminating that release to the media, it prevents the public and consumers from knowing what’s happening, which is the point of these ‘ag-gag’ laws,” Potter explained.
“But also turning over that footage so quickly is an attempt by the industry to say an incident is just an isolated case, rather than allowing an investigation to be built over a period of weeks or months. This way, they can pretend that it’s just a few bad apples, a few bad workers, rather than taking proper responsibility.”
You can read the full article at the New Matilda.
