Staff Reports
The recent sudden assault on Archive.org raises eyebrows and suspicions, particularly given the timing as the nation heads towards another contentious election. This online archive, which has been an essential tool for tracing the evolution of narratives on the internet, has now ceased to document the digital landscape since October 8-10, 2024. The implications of this disruption are significant; without this vital service, the internet has essentially lost three weeks of its collective memory just when scrutiny of information is most needed.
Archive.org has been the go-to service for ensuring accountability and transparency by allowing users to look back at what was said and how narratives have changed over time. As of now, it finds itself in a precarious situation following a massive Denial of Service attack that nearly incapacitated its operations entirely. For the first time since the inception of the internet, researchers and everyday citizens alike are unable to verify the authenticity of online content shared over those three critical weeks. This effectively creates a gaping void in the digital record at a moment when the public is eager for accountability.
Major Web Archive Attacked Pre-Election: Coincidence? https://t.co/19wyllI8Qn pic.twitter.com/WGwkyTCfgI
— ZBreakingNewz (@ZBreakingNewz) November 4, 2024
This situation opens the door for manipulation. It means that any website can publish information today, then erase their tracks tomorrow with minimal consequences. The power to distort events and create alternate narratives becomes even easier when there is no reliable historical record to consult. With the imminent elections in sight, this lack of archival content can be a field day for misinformation, allowing unscrupulous entities to operate without the fear of being caught in their lies and deceit.
The loss of the ability to compare past and present information raises serious concerns about who benefits from this chaos. Bad actors—be it governments, corporations, or NGOs—have the most to gain from erasing the past. The Orwellian implications are clear. For example, during the pandemic, the CDC quietly altered the definitions of “vaccine” and “vaccination,” which subsequently allowed for a broad interpretation of what qualifies as a vaccine. Without the critical lens that archival resources provide, such shifts in meaning can pass unnoticed, and any public outcry might be swiftly ignored or forgotten.
The erasure of digital history is no trivial matter. It has been said that those who control the past control the future. In the age of information, a society that lacks a reliable means to scrutinize its own history is bound to repeat the mistakes of the past. Liberal establishment figures love manipulating language and history to fit their narratives, often hiding behind the guise of scientific or institutional integrity. In a world where “some are more equal than others,” it’s imperative to recognize the threats to accountability and transparency that this attack on archival integrity poses. As the public remains vigilant, questions around who orchestrated this attack and why will linger in the air. The race for truth and accuracy in the information age is far from over.
