In a 'Plot Twist', Wikileaks Releases Documents It Claims Detail Russia Mass Surveillance Apparatus (techcrunch.com)

WikiLeaks, believed by many to be a Kremlin front, surprised some observers Tuesday morning (Snowden called it a "plot twist") when it released documents linking a Russian tech company with access to thousands of citizens' telephone and internet communications with Moscow. From a report: Writing a summary of the cache of mostly Russian-language documents, Wikileaks claims they show how a long-established Russian company which supplies software to telcos is also installing infrastructure, under state mandate, that enables Russian state agencies to tap into, search and spy on citizens' digital activity -- suggesting a similar state-funded mass surveillance program to the one utilized by the U.S.'s NSA or by GCHQ in the U.K. (both of which were detailed in the 2013 Snowden disclosures). The documents which Wikileaks has published (there are just 34 "base documents" in this leak) relate to a St. Petersburg-based company, called Peter-Service, which it claims is a contractor for Russian state surveillance. The company was set up in 1992 to provide billing solutions before going on to become a major supplier of software to the mobile telecoms industry.

Comments

politicians don't recognize integrity

[KiloByte]

For politicians, revealing their misdeeds means you're an agent of their enemy. Not having any honesty or integrity themselves, they don't entertain the thought someone's agenda might be something else than supporting a particular political party.

"WikiLeaks, believed by many to be a Kremlin front

[Anonymous Coward]

The headlines on Slashdot sure have changed over the years. You guys used to (figuratively) fellate Assange in the comments here, but one election cycle of punching your candidate for a change, and Wikileaks is a Russian front? That's some thin skin.

Wikileaks docs about Russia in 2015

[arnott]

WL had documents about Russia before. Here is an article regarding it.

Fuck Off

[sexconker]

WikiLeaks, believed by many to be a Kremlin front,

List 5 such people who are not absolute retards. I'll wait.

Re: Fuck Off

[Cajun Hell]

You're right! Fine. Let's throw out the no-retards rule.

List 5 people who have the belief, preferably with a link or quotation for each one where they explain how they became aware of the sinister Kremlin-Wikileaks connection. And if all 5 say "I first became aware of it, Mandrake, during the physical act of love," I swear none of us will giggle or smirk or anything like that!

I missed a "Kremlim front" thing? Daaaamn.

[Cajun Hell]

WikiLeaks, believed by many to be a Kremlin front

Whoa! WTF? Not kidding, this is the very first time I have heard this conspiracy theory.

When you say "many", are you talking about a number of people approximately equal to the number of 9/11-Truthers? Half the number of Obama Birthers? C'mon, put this "many" into the units that we're familiar with, you know, like how you measure hard disks in terms of Libraries of Congress.

Plot twist?

[Artem S. Tashkinov]

There's no plot twist, there's just a final revelation which will be largely unknown among the Russians because most media outlets are controlled by the Kremlin, as well as the largest social network in Russia.

Everyone with a brain perfectly understands that Putin has always been lying about the state of surveillance and privacy in Russia. Largely there's none, because there's no law when it concerns the men in power. They do as they please.

Re:Does this actually matter?

[hey!]

I have to agree, but the point stands. Whether or not Assange is a pompous conceited ass has no bearing on his opinions or actions.

What we're looking like is a reflection of a fundamental problem with democracy. Democracy depends on an electorate that is educated on and involved in the issues. The problem is that issues are hard. They're full of gray areas and squirrelly corner cases.

But you know what's very easy? Deciding whether you like someone or not. Then if you conflate that with them being a good or bad person, and further decide that you'll trust all the "good" people completely and distrust all "bad" ones completely... Well then you'll never have to deal with difficult thinking ever again.

How do you know that you're one of those people? Well, if you can find a group of people somewhere whom you agree with pretty much all the time, that's a reliable sign that you don't really think for yourself. On the other hand, let's say you don't really fit in anywhere; you have some strong disagreements with the people you agree with most, and sometimes think people you dislike probably have a point... Congratulations then, that means you think for yourself. The fundamental philosophy of our government, of our very society was built around people like you. Kind of sad, when you think about it.