At the end of the interview with Julian Assange the TED audience gives the founder of WikiLeaks a standing ovation for his organization’s commitment to shining light on the secrets of governments around the world.
In the video, taped and posted earlier this month on TED.com, Assange discusses the aims of WikiLeaks, along with some of its higher profile revelations, including the controversial video from a U.S. military helicopter as it gunned down what later turned out to be civilians in a Baghdad street.
WikiLeaks, founded three years ago, exists to publish documents, videos and other materials online that have been classified as secret for some reason by a government body. The intent is to expose information that people can use to make a difference in their country or to expose wrong-doing. The organization also strives to protect whistleblowers.
Clearly, Assange found a supportive audience at TED. When asked if they support the group and its actions, nearly everybody in the audience signaled affirmative.
To date, WikiLeaks is providing a valuable service, bringing transparency to issues that the media has had difficulty exposing. Once the information has been revealed, citizens have been empowered to take action. In one example from Kenya, it is believed that information revealed by WikiLeaks helped expose corruption and altered the outcome of that nation’s election.
The video of the helicopter shooting incident, which killed two Reuters journalists, has generated considerable debate over the military’s activities and the U.S. role in Iraq. The video prompted a lively debate on The Commuter’s Facebook site as well. (The Commuter is the student-run newspaper at Linn-Benton Community College.)
The TED interview will make for a good conversation starter when I explore freedom of information with my students at LBCC in coming terms. (Kudos to one of my current Media & Society students, Ryan Zeigler, for bringing this video to my attention.)
UPDATE: WikiLeaks releases thousands of documents concerning Afghan War.
Jeff Jarvis offers his take on WikiLeaks and “publicness.”
Story: Files indicate U.S. paid Afghan media to run friendly stories
Poynter: How WikiLeaks is Changing the News Power Structure
CNN: Assange fires back at Defense Secretary Gates
Norm Lewis: Seems like exposing secrets from an earlier era
Marc Thiessen: WikiLeaks must be stopped
-rp-
During the TED interview, Assange says “There are legitimate secrets”. Yes there are. From what I have seen, I do not trust Assange and his associates to make the assessment of what is legitimate and what is not. The Apache shooting video is a good example. It is out of context. It has been edited heavily (including little arrows to tell you what to see and how to see it). I believe that is virtually identical to the mishandling of the video of Shirley Sherrod. Assange says that so far there are no Wikileaks dissidents (ie whistle blowers). There will be. Assange is a sinner just like the rest of us.