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Wikileaks Hypocrisy

Posted on 11th March 2017

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I find the latest statement by Julian Assange, the man in charge of Wikileaks, as reported here by the BBC, to be somewhat hypocritical.

As stated in the new report, Wikileaks is an "anti-secrecy website". They have upset many, especially in US government, by publishing documents which others would much rather remained secret.

Now, however, the latest round of revelations (relating to the CIA's hacking tools, and their competence in hacking) has made Mr Assange rethink his opposition to secrecy. He has decided to first "offer" any further revelations on this subject to technology firms. That means two things to me:

  1. Any new revelations will be kept secret from the rest of us, at least for a short period; this seems at odds with the principles and mission of Wikileaks.
  2. The use of the word "offer" suggests that such early and exclusive access to this information will be in exchange for money.

Whatever the reasons for this change of heart, I think that it will be rather difficult for Wikileaks to claim the moral high-ground, once this system of two-speed leaks has begun.