Anonymous Journalist Released after 4 Years in Jail Vows Never to Back DownBy John Vibes Brown was a controversial figure who became a target for federal law enforcement due to his support of Anonymous and his aggressive style of activism and journalism. During his trial, Brown had a long list of charges stacked against himand was facing over 100 years in prison. Ultimately, the charge that actually stuck was a hacking charge that was related to Brown copying and pasting a link to already hacked WikiLeaks material into a chat room for other activists and journalists to research. He did not actually carry out the hack in question, nor is he accused of doing so. He was simply accused of placing a link in a chat room and sharing information about an important leak, something that any serious journalist at the time should have been doing. Brown was ultimately convicted for the crime of being a real journalist who was not afraid to expose the secrets and crimes of those in power. For generations, the establishment has had the media so tightly controlled to the point where pre-approved journalists are the only ones allowed to ask pre-approved questions of those in power, and anyone who prints anything critical of an authority figure or advertiser is sure to see their career crash and burn. With the proliferation of Internet activism, a new breed of journalists have threatened to upset the existing order, and as a result, they have become targets for character assassination and imprisonment. The case of Barrett Brown is a prime example of this development. The time that Brown spent in prison did not weaken his dedication to fighting against the establishment. Im very much in favor of further leaks and hacks against select targets, those institutions we believe are engaging in crimes with the complicity of our government, Brown recently said. Browns story is told in a new mini-documentary called Relatively Free, which shows his release from prison and travel to a halfway house where he was ordered to stay after his release. It is worth mentioning that this film was produced by Alex Winter, the actor and director who starred in the classic comedy Bill and Ted. Winter has recently been focusing on creating films to raise awareness about free speech, privacy rights and the battle for the internet. Last year, Winter released a film called Deep Web which chronicled the story of Ross Ulbricht, the man who is facing life in prison for operating the Silk Road website. In his recent TED talk, he discussed his documentary and the Silk Road trial, and about how the freedom of anonymity on the Internet affects everyone. John Vibes is an author and researcher who organizes a number of large events including the Free Your Mind Conference. He also has a publishing company where he offers a censorship free platform for both fiction and non-fiction writers. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. John is currently battling cancer naturally, without any chemo or radiation, and will be working to help others through his experience, if you wish to contribute to his treatments please donate here. This article first appeared here at TheFreeThoughtProject.com Barrett Brown Kudos and best wishes, stay safe and alert. Seems like someone should owe him some multiple of $800,000 in restitution for wrongful arrest, conviction, and imprisonment. Three Cheers for this Very Brave Person, and yes, how can we help financially and spiritually. Id like to get more information about the names of those who spearheaded the attack on Brown. Where did the court case go down? I will do more research as those facts will lead us back to the very officials who need to be deprived of their positions. state of the free press? What free press? How did he avoid the Andrew Breitbart or Michael Hastings government solution to whistleblowers? God bless you Barrett Brown and thank you for your courage. 