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WikiLeaks' Daniel Schmitt Speaks

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the difference-makers dept.

Lars Sobiraj submitted an interview with Daniel Schmitt of WikiLeaks. "He encourages all readers and warns his opponents — WikiLeaks has the means to make our society better, to create a world which stands united and strong against abuse — locally and nationally as well as globally. Modern, fast, world-wide technology makes it possible. In the interview, Daniel explains in detail how this will be done, with the help of WikiLeaks and all its supporters."

4 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. The problem with Wikileaks is... by sycodon · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The U.S. has set up over the last two centuries a means by which information that should be kept secret is kept secret and information that should be public is public. By and large, this works, despite some well publicized failures. Legislation such as the Freedom of Information Act, etc. has proved to be a means to uncover unsavory facts that would see the light of day despite the wishes of unsavory politicians. All of this takes place in the well defined arena of law and politics.

    Wikileaks would throw all of this out and make themselves (the collective leakers) the sole arbiter of what is in the national interest and what is not with respect to keeping secrets. They do this without realizing the potential impact to national security or potential diplomatic damage that, while the leaker may think is justified and deserved, is more damaging to the U.S. (or other country subject to a wikileak) than the leaker realizes. They can't know the potential impact because they do not have access to the entire picture.

    So what wikileaks does is to substitute the judgment of a system, made of up of untold knowledgeable individuals, with the judgment of one or two cranks with an ax to grind. The cranks may be right sometimes, but I think more often that not they will be wrong.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
    1. Re:The problem with Wikileaks is... by RebootKid · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I must disagree. Your statement that FOIA requests are a good method of getting information out of the US Government falls down in multiple ways.

      1) Duration. I've seen FOIA requests take years to fulfill.
      2) Redaction. The FOIA answers often have sections blacked out in them. Sometimes large sections. What you're left with is a document that is essentially unreadable.
      3) Scope. FOIA only works where we're interfacing with the US Government agencies. It does not work with private corporations nor does it work with other nations.

      Much like free speech, Wikileaks should be covered under "freedom of press." There needs to be some place where this information can be distributed and the person doing the leak is not put at risk. There are too many groups/agencies around the world who solve problems by burning the bodies.

    2. Re:The problem with Wikileaks is... by Chyeld · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I would. And I'll tell you why. Because if someone comes to Wikileaks and the site pulls some sort of 'nefarious' power play by only posting leaks in regard to a specific agenda, those people trying to get the banned material leaks will know and find alternative methods of getting the word out.

      Were you under the impression that these are the only folk who know how to setup a web site?

      PS. The answer to the question is: If Wikileaks has something out there that is so damaging to your 'elected officials' that it can't stand to see the light of day, then you already had a problem, you just weren't willing to admit it.

      This BS about "What if they post the nuclear launch codes!!!??!??! OMG!" and other related arguements is just that BS. The folk running Wikileaks aren't from Marvel comics. They don't have a massive mind reading devices hidden underneath their often assaulted school for mutants. They get this information from people who already have it and are already ready to leak it. The question isn't "What if they..." but "What would have happened if they hadn't..."

  2. Re:Wikileaks can also be quite RETARDED by Chyeld · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Actually they answered that the reason they posted the tests were to level the playing field as a number of people already had copies of the tests and thus an unfair advantage. When Redhat came after them, they argued that the onus was on Redhat to change the test since the cat had already been out of the bag.

    Which, you will note, Redhat did.