Tactical Watermarks

Author	Pedro Sá Couto, Rita Graça
Source	https://hub.xpub.nl/watermark/terms
Context	Guidelines for the platform Tactical Watermarks

Tactical Watermarks is a platform to republish text files, concerning mostly titles that are difficult to find online. To make use of this website is crucial that the users follow some rules. This field guide supported the collaborative writing between Pedro and me, which originated the Tactical Watermarks Guidelines.

Tactical Watermarks Guidelines

These guidelines clarify the values and methods of Tactical Watermarks, what you can expect from us and what we expect from users. The rules apply to the platform hosted on https://hub.xpub.nl/watermark/, where you are most likely reading this. If you prefer, Tactical Watermarks is also on Tor browser: http://ov73e3lxezo2klxva2frlzqbb2usiozqbe56xiochvz5lznpkk6kw4ad.onion/ We don't intend or guarantee full availability and performance.

The platform doesn't call for a lot of interactions between users, nonetheless, it is making things public and every user should be aware of the implications of such action. Tactical Watermarks is online and for you to use, but we ask you to consider the labour behind the files you're uploading and the resources you are using. This is not an archive nor a library. This is a platform to republish files, reflecting on provenance, privilege and publishing streams. Be deliberate with your choices and conscious of the guidelines.

1. Building the frame

Modular craftsman specialized in making the wooden screens – known as "modularo". The screen or module – is made-up of a wooden framework, on which a dense wire mesh is placed and also a movable wooden frame or deckle. It must be constructed so that it will support the weight of the paste and the water without deforming the paper.

We define Tactical Watermarks as:

An online de-watermarking/republishing platform with no registration required. In Tactical Watermarks, we will de-watermarked and republish files uploaded by users to Library Genesis. We actively make use of digital watermarks as a means to explore topics such as anonymity, paywalls, archives, and provenance. While the primary intention of analogue watermarks was to leave traces of authenticity, marks of quality or even aesthetic enhancements, digital watermarks are being used as a way to create accountability for users. Through this platform, I describe and document ways of living within and resist a culture of surveillance in the realm of publishing.

We define Artisan as:

1. People without access to paid online archives and libraries, such as JSTOR, Elsevier, Verso Books, and others, who have access through a college, university, secondary school, public library, museum, foundation, government agency, research centre, corporate/for-profit organization or scholarly society (“Institutional Licensee”).

2. People who use Tactical Watermarks directly for asking new titles.

3. People who are interested in uncovering the processes behind republishing texts.

4. Invisible individuals behind extra-legal publishing platforms, curators, the ones who host, upload and even download material.

5. People that want to de-watermark PDFs and EPUBs.

2. Becoming an artisan

Papermaking in Italy is dominated by the historic and powerful feudal family, Fabriano. The Council Statute of 1436 prohibited anyone within a radius of 50 miles from Fabriano buildings from manufacturing paper or teaching paper making secrets to those not residing within the Council territory, pending a fine of 50 ducats. A later prohibition has even stiffer penalties. Transgressors were considered "rebels" and thereby banned from the city with consequent capital confiscation.

As an Artisan you:

Publish content you own which doesn't infringe copyright laws.

Publish original content.

Are aware of the request list before you ask for the same file.

Request any kind of content.

Use the form to ask for files, and only for that.

Look at the request list and if you can help, you upload the needed content.

Remain anonymous.

You are prohibited to:

Profit.

Demonstrate your identity — You must always stay anonymous.

Distribute active malware or exploits — Being part of a community includes not taking advantage of other members of the community.

3. Gathering the pulp

Fabriano was the first manufacturing centre to harness water power to drive the fibrillation (pulping) process, previously a labour intensive manual activity.

All the texts will automatically be republished to LibGen. In Library Genesis there’s no score to maintain, necessary log-in, or price to pay.

Library Genesis regularly fights against shut-down attempts. Strategies to increase the lifespan of the collection are put in place, such as encouraging the creation of mirrors. Mirrors allow hosting voluntary copies of entire collections or parts of them over different servers and points of access, making these more challenging to control.

If you can, please mirror the collection or part of it.

While researchers bump into expensive paywalls that were unaffordable for many, tactics such as shadow-libraries and online archives are put together to make research widely available. These online spaces provide areas to access media from alternative channels.

4. Living within libraries

After the whole process, the book starts circulating: entering small private libraries, kept in shelves in public spaces, rotating between hands. The artisan loses control of the pages, but the watermarks remain.

We are all responsible for enforcing the rules.

If you don't follow the guidelines when requesting a title, the comment will be deleted.

We will not know, collect or control what you'll publish. If you choose to publish anything outside the guidelines, such as copyrighted material, this is your responsibility.

We give you support.

For questions, comments, to talk or anything in between contact me, Mr Beauregard at butlerbeauregard(at)protonmail(dot)com

These guidelines will change every time it's needed. Last updated on 15 June 2020.