wikileaks

[Dr Frook]

what are your thoughts about these people - they claim it's their right to publish the stolen US documents. I think they are acting like criminals and their leader should be jailed. What do you think?

[Hitokiri]

yes and no.

wikileaks is alright, but they shouldn't have done what they did.
It was a bit irresponsible.
On the other hand, it's not really all that bad.
Most of the info they published was already public knowledge (or a public secret).

Who of you didn't know that Putin is a bit of a macho? Berlusconi parties too much (with young girls)? and David Cameron is a bit shallow?
Anyone who reads a newspaper or watches the news knows all this.

There are a few other things that are walking the line, maybe even crossing it a bit.

The immediate future is a cyberwar between the public that supports wikileaks and the government and coorperations. Now that is a bit more disturbing.

[Dr Frook]

I agree, Hito. It all comes down to responsibility - the wikileaks people don't seem to understand what that word means. Sure, some funny stuff has come out, but there is serious stuff that affects the lives and way of life of others that any sensible person should not have released.

The fact that this could disrupt relations between countries, incite possible conflict where there was none before, endanger the lives of others, and cause chaos in general is not sensible and definitely goes against what they are saying they are trying to achieve.

Secrets are there for a reason. Lets just hope they have a brain and do not release anything that could have more serious consequences.

[Connor]

Wikileaks should be kicked off the web. I mean, they shouldn't of let out all of those secrets.


They're secrets for a reason! And the owner of Wikileaks should be hanged for treason!

[banded]

i think julian assange is great , he let people know the truth and we all have rights to know them, those power-holder always find excuses to cover the darkness and cheat common people.

[Hitokiri]

conny, what secrets?
Most of it was already public knowledge if you read newspapers and watch the news.
Secondly, you can't charge him with treason, he isn't american.
Thirdly, somehow I find it amusing that the US isn't handling it all that well and is still behaving as arrogant as ever towards it all. But that's just a stance towards all the diplomatic relations and the public. (the show must go on)

And as a final point, I do think that some things should not be published, some secrets should remain.

[Dr Frook]

conny, what secrets?
Most of it was already public knowledge if you read newspapers and watch the news.
Secondly, you can't charge him with treason, he isn't american.
Thirdly, somehow I find it amusing that the US isn't handling it all that well and is still behaving as arrogant as ever towards it all. But that's just a stance towards all the diplomatic relations and the public. (the show must go on)

And as a final point, I do think that some things should not be published, some secrets should remain.

yeah, I agree - the US isn't handling it very well. They were caught off guard and never really expected to have such a huge breach of security. They need to put in place better systems to avoid this kind of issue in future.

also, it just ocurred to me - if the wikileaks people think it is all fine and good to reveal national secrets that could have severe international consequences, then it should also be fine to reveal the most personal information about themselves and make it fully public. In fact everyone should have no privacy at all if you agree it is ok to use stolen national secrets and release them to the public for all to see. The whole thing seems idiotic and hypocritical. People need to understand secrets are there for a reason, as is the need for people to maintain their own personal information and not make it public.

[Sano]

there should not be secerets kept from the public
especially if it's the fate of our country
i dont want 2 hear "In other news, Iran has bombed the captial with nuclear weapons for the seceret plans of assassinating Iran's leader"

[paladin]

Ok, read the topic called "The Rant" on general chat. It has my thoughts on the subject.
The owner of the site is just posting what he got from people IN THE US GOVERNMENT! He shouldn't be arrested, just the INFORMANTS. How do you think he got the information in the first place??? FROM A GUY IN THE GOVERNMENT! We should target the persons SELLING THIS INFORMATION! Not the one that is just posting it. Sarah Palin says the guy should be assassinated. They call him a terrorist! As long as nobody dies, its not terror. We shouldn't kill the guy. WHERE IS OUR AMERICAN JUSTICE?? Inocent until PROVEN guilty.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4688
Thank you for your time.

[Dr Frook]

why do media groups believe they have a right to publicize stolen material?

In any other situation, the handling of stolen goods is viewed as crime. The theft and handling of government top secret documents is no different to someone stealing your car and then giving it to someone else to use as they like with the full knowledge the car is stolen. The person handling the stolen goods is just as guilty of the crime as the person who stole the car in the first place.

Media groups should be regulated more closely and any so called 'rights' that they believe they have to publish stolen material, should be removed. They believe they serve a higher cause, but they don't. All they are doing is handling stolen material, using it for their own selfish benefit, and screwing the original owner of the stolen material.

all journalists involved in the direct or indirect theft of government documents should be treated no differently to the person involved in the original theft. They have no rights to the stolen documents and certainly have no rights to publicise the material.