Networked Civil Disobedience: Hacktivism with Special Guest Heath Bunting

What is Tactical Media?

Tactical media is a phrase that has been around since 1966 and can be defined as "a form of media activism that privileges temporary, hit-and-run interventions in the media sphere over the creation of permanent and alternative media outlets"(En.wikipedia.org, 2018) The purpose of tactical media lies with the type of information that it produces, it is generally a way of reversing the one-way-flow of communication between corporations and the public, and bringing balance and/or a retaliation from the public.

Using art to make us think how our data is used:

(Billboardliberation.com, 2018)

It is no lie that we sign away tons of our own data for free everyday and continue to do so every time we open our phones, however to what extent is this data being used do you ask? Well it is without a doubt that we are being personally targeted to display adds that Google thinks we will appreciate more or it could be that Facebook profiling their users in order to rig presidential campaigns, or even worse that google is listening in on our conversations to cater more specific advertising. The Yes Men, Billboard liberation front along with various other artists including Banksy use campaigns and other companies propaganda to create a interactive and thought provoking hijacking of the original experience whilst also attempting to educate the general population.

ZEVS Banksy

(Bear to the Bone, 2018)

  Known as Visual Kidnapping Graffiti - “Visual kidnapping is like entering an interactive game: If the brand on the billboard kidnaps the attention of the public with the purpose of consumer demand, I reverse the situation and I kidnap the model on the poster and I demand a ransom of 500,000 Euros from the brand. This sum represents the symbolic price of an advertising campaign for the brand.” (Mail.artkabinett.com, 2018) This is a great example of Tactical Media, as the corporations have already paid the money for their billboards to be hung and visible to the masses it only makes sense that by defiling these and putting your own twist on them is an easy and cost effective way of getting your point across whether that be political or just your concerns.


Tactical media in a way allows artist and reformists to break the rules and take back some of the attention taken away by these larger players and help to inform or provoke the public into thinking in a different way. For example Banksy's latest stunt (video below) include shredding his photo after the auction had gone through, this was a symbolism that the artwork is not of value, it is the people that give it value, he takes this notion and tests it by destroying the art work created, and I guarantee it would be worth more now that it's all torn up than it did before.

(YouTube, 2018)

The impact of tactical media is wide, from the book Legacys of Tactical Media by Eric Kluitenberg he sums it up perfectly "Tactical Media, a specific fusion of art, politics, technologies and media which has been recognised as a powerful new social, political and cultural force,"(Kluitenberg, 2011) therefore it is important for what types of attention they are hijacking and if the messages behind them are meaningful.

There are other forms of Tactical Media such as using hitchhiking as a means of transport, this allows the hitchhiker the ability to stay off the grid and at the same time provides the opportunity to connect with another human being who is willingly transporting you in exchange for your company. This was described in detail with a guest speaker who attended University of Hertfordshire, Heath Bunting who took it further and stated that he himself had hitchhiked to attend the lecture. He also talks of legally going from Terrorist to law abiding citizen, the most amazing part about all of this is that he provides all this information for free on his website as he believes it is something the public should be educated on.