The #Trafigura trending topic on Twitter this morning is an example of the Streisand effect, an Internet phenomenon where an attempt to censor a story backfires and generates widespread coverage across the internet.
The conversation around #Trafigura resulted from an attempt to stop The Guardian from reporting on a question about Trafigua in the UK Parliament.
The Streisand effect entered Internet parlance after Techdirt founder Mike Masnick used it to describe the widespread Internet coverage that resulted from Barbra Streisand’s attempts to suppress photos of her Californian home in 2003.
For more examples visit the web site dedicated to The Streisand Effect.
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38 Degrees are currently running a campaign on this. Take action now by emailing your MP and asking them to take a stand and stop the bullying action of Trafigura. Take action now, it only takes 2 mins. Go to:
38degrees.org.uk/stop-the-gag
[...] First of all the law governing libel is broken, and the government is already looking into it. It doesn’t currently balance the needs of privacy with the right of public interest and it offended the online public’s sense of natural justice. My friend Stephen Waddington said ‘This breaks new ground in the UK. Legal system can’t keep pace with the internet.’ He goes on to elaborate on this even further on his blog. [...]