data loss cruft
Data Loss Cruft
Auto-generated image.
Started August 08, 2013
Completed on January 20th, 2017.
Source: whitehouse.gov & thebureauinvestigates.com

Data Loss Cruft (Corruption)

This cruft algorithm updated at 9:22 and 3:22 AM & PM EST. A recent photo from the Whitehouse.gov website as well as a report published by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism listing U.S. covert drone war casualty estimates was downloaded and processed. The text file of casualty estimates was literally inserted into the binary code of The White House photo. The drone war information becomes hidden from view, but corrupts the image producing visual distortion often referred to as a glitch. This work uses digital leftovers, consisiting of information either usually forgotten, or in the case of the drone war information, it is usually hidden, and in the process this cruft re-generates a new image by altering the data, which then reminds us of it's origin.

Covert Drone War Casualty Estimates

Covert Drone War Casualty Estimates CIA Drone Strikes in Pakistan 2004–2013 Total US strikes: 371 Obama strikes: 320 Total reported killed: 2,505-3,584 Civilians reported killed: 407-928 Children reported killed: 164-195 Total reported injured: 1,111-1,493 US Covert Action in Yemen 2002–2013 Confirmed US drone strikes: 50-60 Total reported killed: 254-370 Civilians reported killed: 15-56 Children reported killed: 2-3 Reported injured: 65-147 Possible extra US drone strikes: 81-100 Total reported killed: 289-463Civilians reported killed: 23-48Children reported killed: 6-9Reported injured: 81-106 All other US covert operations: 12-77 Total reported killed: 148-377Civilians reported killed: 60-88Children reported killed: 25-26Reported injured: 22-111 US Covert Action in Somalia 2007–2013 US drone strikes: 3-9 Total reported killed: 7-27 Civilians reported killed: 0-15 Children reported killed: 0 Reported injured: 2-24 All other US covert operations: 7-14 Total reported killed: 47-143 Civilians reported killed: 7-42 Children reported killed: 1-3 Reported injured: 12-20 Methodology

— Casualty Estimates, CIA Drone Strikes. Retrieved from
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/

Selections from the Archive

data loss cruft
Created August 15, 2013 at 03:22 AM EST
data loss cruft
Created May 08, 2014 at 09:22 AM EST
data loss cruft
Created September 22, 2013 at 09:22 AM EST
data loss cruft
Created September 23, 2013 at 03:22 AM EST
data loss cruft
Created September 23, 2013 at 09:22 AM EST
data loss cruft
Created August 22, 2013 at 09:22 PM EST

Further Resources

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
The Bureau pursues journalism which is of public benefit. They undertake in depth research into the governance of public, private and third sector organisations and their influence. They make their work freely available under a Creative Commons licence.

Covert Drone War provides a full dataset of all known US drone attacks in Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen. This analysis has changed the public’s understanding of US actions and revealed that under Obama over 3,000 people, including nearly 500 civilians, have been killed by drones. The findings have been used widely in media outlets including the New York Times, Pakistan’s Dawn, and the BBC. In 2013 the Drones team won the Martha Gellhorn Award for Journalism, was invited to give evidence to the UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group on Drones and was commended by Jamie Shea, assistant deputy general secretary, NATO and Christof Heyns, United Nations special rapporteur on extra judicial killings.