[Gllug] WikiLeaks: Stop the crackdown - incredible response!

[Walter Stanish]

>> More pragmatically, Assange's strategy of co-opting the personnel,
>> distribution and reputation of a string of international media outlets is
>> a rather effective counter to the notion that "real secrets don't end
>> up in the mainstream press".  He has masterfully utilised their...
> Actually it isn't. It just means they aren't real secrets worth keeping.

"See here? Our secrets are marked SECRET or CONFIDENTIAL
because they're not real secrets.  We got really angry and started a
character assassination campaign because they're not real secrets.
We are trying to prosecute someone for their release because they're
not real secrets"

For the most part, world leaders aren't playing it down.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/10/wikileaks-reaction-world-reaction

>From the US there's a simultaneous play-down ("it's nothing big,
it's nothing new, there's nothing here, move along") and at the same
time demonisation ("act of treason", "terrorist", etc.), baseless and
corrupt character assassination, undemocratic behaviour from US
companies and financial services providers pressured by the
government to react against Wikileaks, and old-school calls for
self-censorship and a closing of ranks in places like the US military
and Colombia University (since rescinded).

>>> along the way they get to accomplish several goals..
>>> introducing more propaganda but from a 'trusted good guy
>>> anti-establishment rebel source' which is useful to
>>> manipulate the growing demographic that nolonger
>>> believes the mainstream press and in cracking down on
>>> wikileaks they get to accomplish several more goals
>>> such as implementing internet censorship programs.

>> Really an interesting take, but actually the effect seems to have been
>> quite the opposite.  The internet is very anti-censorship.  At this
>> point, to my mind, if a failure in the justice system were to convict
>> Mr. Assange, or he were to be assassinated, a situation closer to
>> a global string of civil unrest would more likely occur.

> Whatever happens will likely be all part of the plan.

So in your mind, who is this 'grand plan' being written by?
What is the secret to your insight?

(Really I don't think it's that much more complex than it appears.)

>> As for the notion of 'clamping down', Wikileaks is a powerful tool
>> against over-regulation and corruption.

> I'm sure it is.. and it will be applied selectively to specific
> instances of corruption.

Of course: but the reason is more likely to be resource constraints
than self-censorship.  Nobody and no organisation is perfect.  But if
the effect that a person or organisation has upon the world is a positive
one, as viewed by others, then they are welcomed and encouraged.

This is what is now happening with Wikileaks.

>> Wikipedia's summary states that "Joly would communicate the secret ways
>> in which liberalism might spawn a despot".  That seems fairly relevant,
>> both
>> to the pre and post-Wikileaks world.
>
> I'm sure the world will continue to funciton in much the same way
> post-wikileaks.

Of course :)  Except that there will be multiple globally distributed
facilitators for the safe distribution and publication of leaked information,
thereby making it more difficult for large scale corruption to occur.

Which is to my mind a positive change, and judging by the media
coverage, it is considered such in much of the world's view.

- Walter
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