The Need To Know (WikiLeaks)?

In 2010, the organisation WikiLeaks released 250,000 diplomatic US cables for the world to see (Kinsman 2011, p. 45).  These cables (messages between diplomats and the government) contained information on geopolitics, smugglers, ex-military fixers and corrupt politicians and businesses (ref).  US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton believes that the leak ‘puts people’s lives in danger, threatens our national security, and undermines (US) efforts to work with other countries to solve shared problems’(Kinsman 2011, p.45).  Former Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin likens WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (and his team) to terrorists like Al-Qaeda (Kinsman 2011, p.45).  Though I wonder if she is still sore about WikiLeaks hacking her Yahoo (email) account (Wachter 2010).

 

(Ted Goff 2008)

It is unclear as to if the leaks have endangered any lives though she does raise a valid point there must be a limit to ‘maximum possible disclosure’ as the US (or any country in fact) needs to be able to communicate in confidence and in turn protect the information they receive in confidence (Kinsman 2011, p.46). 

The cables have proved to be quite embarrassing for the US as they have revealed confidential information about international relations, one cable describes the German foreign minister as ‘incompetent, vain and critical of the US’ (Kinsman 2011, p.46).  It reminds me of the common adage ‘if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it at all’.  Messages such as this are perhaps interesting to the public but they aren’t really ‘need to know’. 

However, social media does play a vital role in disseminating information and reducing corruption.  In terms of fighting corruption, social media can empower users giving them a platform on which to speak (Bertot, Jaeger and Grimes 2010, p.264).  It also allows users to collaborate and connect with each other and form what Howard Rheingold calls a virtualcommunity (Rheingold).  A virtual community involves people coming together, in an online environment based on a common interest and in this case it would be political activism (Rheingold).  Social media also allows users to participate both in the creation of media and the ability to share this media and other information.  Social media sites such as WikiLeaks fosters what media theorist, Henry Jenkins calls participatory culture (DMLReseachHub 2011).  Assange and his WikiLeaks team take it upon themselves to be whistle blowers or digital activists (I’m sure the government believes them to be hacktivists) they take media into their own hands, producing and sharing media in their efforts to make a difference; holding the government(s) accountable for their transparency (DMLResearchHub 2011).

With all of this said governments are becoming more forth-right with sharing information with the public, encouraging transparency through the implementation of information communication and technology (ICTs) tools such as e-government sites (Bertot, Jaeger and Grimes 2010, p. 265).  In their bid to reduce corruption many nations have released these e-government sites giving public information on things such as how the peoples’ hard earned tax money is being spent (Bertot, Jaeger and Grimes 2010, p.265).  As the public can monitor the government’s expenditure it eliminates spending on wasteful projects (Bertot, Jaeger and Grimes 2010, p.265).

As long as people feel that the government is keeping public ‘need to know’ information from them, sites like WikiLeaks will continue to exist.  Even after all the ‘government attention’ WikiLeaks have confirmed that Assange has not been arrested yet (WikiLeaks 2012). 

 

Though the question remains is Assange a whistle blower, activist, terrorist or hactivist?

Comment below and tell me what you think

 

References

Bertot, J, Jaeger, P and Grimes, J 2010, 'Using ICTs to create a culture of transparency: E-goverment and social media as openness and anti-corruption tools for societies', Government Information Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 3,, pp 264-271 viewed 19 January 2013 http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0740624X10000201/1-s2.0-S0740624X10000201-main.pdf?_tid=6cc2aca2-773a-11e2-9e19-00000aab0f01&acdnat=1360910539_286d64a5b0e5cf7f6a966aeea7aa6be1

Kinsman, J 2011, TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCE: THE WIKILEAKS SAGA, viewed 19 January 2013 http://www.irpp.org/po/archive/feb11/kinsman.pdf   

Wachter, P 2010, Just Who is Julian Assange, the Man Behind WikiLeaks?, Aol News viewed 19 January 2013 http://www.aolnews.com/2010/07/26/just-who-is-julian-assange-the-man-behind-wikileaks/