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WikiLeaks' International Man of Mystery

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the wonder-what-his-wiki-says dept.

AcidAUS writes "The founder of WikiLeaks lives a secret life in the shadow of those who blow the whistle. Here's a detailed profile of the Australian founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, by Australian newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald."

2 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Looks like the discrediting is well begun by Jeppe+Salvesen · · Score: 5, Informative

    Jayzuz. PR firms feed the journalists with pre-researched, pre-angled cases. The journalist checks a few of the facts, rewrites the prose a bit/writes the prose. And the desk approves. Everybody does this: Government, big tobacco, Toyota, UNICEF. Everybody. There's no need to control the media when the productivity expectations of the journalists ensures they are toothless and more than happy to regurgitate your propaganda.

    --

    Stop the brainwash

  2. Re:Looks like the discrediting is well begun by chrb · · Score: 5, Informative

    Now, set the founder up for more publicity, implicitly encouraging violence upon him.

    Assange brings publicity on himself. He is the media friendly face of Wikileaks. He won the 2009 Amnesty International Media Award and he has been a guest speaker at various international conferences. He chose to be interviewed on Al Jazeera, which is watched by 50-100 million households. I'm not suggesting that he actively seeks publicity for himself, but he does choose to seek it on behalf of Wikileaks, in order to further the Wikileaks mission.

    It's a chilling effect on anyone who might be initially inclined to provide information to Wikileaks under their cover of anonymity.

    Assange chose not to be anonymous so the analogy does not apply. Read his Wikipedia biography for more information. There is no evidence that this will have any effect on anonymous leakers. The people opposed to Wikileaks have various options at this point:

    • Undermine and discredit Wikileaks by publically unmask some of the anonymous leakers
    • Ignore Wikileaks, and accept that leaking happens.
    • Use Wikileaks by leaking "friendly" info, info that makes opponents look bad, etc.
    • Discredit Wikileaks by leaking info that is subsequently shown to be false.
    • Push for the legislation and political will to punish Wikileaks as a criminal organisation that undermines national security.