Wikileaks - Good or evil?

[ld13]

Come now folks, Wikileaks have supported us in the past. They are good. Trying to be at least.

 

[w1z4rd]

Alan and Gary

Alan, Gary, Chris and Marine1. Our special group

 

[seventhson]

Censorship is one thing... Privacy is another. Censorship is publishing a document with some 'Facts n figures' removed, the Govt never published these documents - so this is plain invasion of privacy and a violation of peoples dignity.

I dont mind what Wikileaks does - but there has to be a line somewhere

And what about goverments black sites? Screw governments privacy,are they not here to make our lives easier? So far they have made life really shi tty. The british are paying out there arses for their governments nanny ways.

 

[marine1]

Edit I voted undecided.

 

[w1z4rd]

Censorship is one thing... Privacy is another. Censorship is publishing a document with some 'Facts n figures' removed, the Govt never published these documents - so this is plain invasion of privacy and a violation of peoples dignity.

I dont mind what Wikileaks does - but there has to be a line somewhere

The line is pretty simple and clear. Its called Public interest. Is what you doing going to effect the public at large? If the answer is yes, it should no longer be private. Its government. The government is there to serve the people. Thats us. Why would something serving us try to hide something from us?

Imagine the government is your employee... you pay it to do a job (taxes), now you are saying its okay for the employee to hide something from their boss that directly influences the life of the boss? Seriously?

 

[marine1]

Our special group

Non drug using?

 

[zulgin]

I wonder how long before Politicians get the better of them and start swinging propogated leaks their way. Op die oomblik doen hulle goeie werk

 

[w1z4rd]

Non drug using?

Im not convinced on that Unless you can describe something else that justifys some of your answers?

 

[w1z4rd]

I voted evil.

This Assange moron is a pretty irresponsible prick who is doing this for his own gratification and doesn't care about the consequences.
Wonder how many people are going to die so this guy can look like a hero to morons.

Where your post is totally for the greater good. Thanks man. You are the lodestone to our moral compass.

 

[marine1]

This Assange moron is a pretty irresponsible prick who is doing this for his own gratification and doesn't care about the consequences.
Wonder how many people are going to die so this guy can look like a hero to morons.

I agree completely, he definitely has his own agenda and it is not for the good of mankind

 

[Cube3]

It's fantastic I think.

The self proclaimed moral compass of the world is dirtier than a whores underwear...

I hope ever nasty peice comes out into the open so people(sheep) might take their blinkers off.

 

[general_koffi]

Sometimes I wonder...

It just seems strange that out of all the hundreds of thousands of diplomatic "cables" (emails) that have been 'leaked', there isn't anything really incriminating or particularly interesting. Most of the media scandal is about the fact of the leak itself rather than what's been leaked. We've just got confirmation of things everyone knows. Saudi Arabia is lobbying for war with Iran... David Cameron doesn't know anything about economics... Silvio Berlesconi is a drunk... Angela Merkel is a German... America is spying on the United Nations... The Kenyan government is corrupt... No one is happy that Pakistan has nuclear weapons... Everyone thinks Mugabe is a senile old fool...

I want to know who shot JFK, goddamit! Everyone already knew or reasonably suspected what's been leaked, and everyone who wasn't on a government payroll was willing to admit it.

The world's governments flopping about in self-righteous embarrassment at Mr Assuange pointing out the obvious fact that the Emperor is naked is the sum total of "news" to result from Wikileaks. Still, whatever pisses them off must be good for the common man, I guess.

 

[Nothxkbi]

I'm undecided I don't think there is really any absolute here, it can be both good and bad.

 

[Alan]

Can those two that voted "evil" please elaborate ?

I think it's been elaborated on before. In any case all those fans of total transparency I look forward to reading through all your personal data when you make it available online.

I haven't voted. Evil is not the right term IMO

 

[noxibox]

This Assange moron is a pretty irresponsible prick who is doing this for his own gratification and doesn't care about the consequences.
Wonder how many people are going to die so this guy can look like a hero to morons.

Yeah, he sounds a lot like the idiots running countries.

 

[The_Assimilator]

I voted "Evil", although I agree with Alan that it's not the appropriate term.

On one hand, I agree that people have a right to know and that - in theory - governments shouldn't have secrets from their citizens. And with the corruption entrenched in politics today (on both right and left) it may be that we need a "neutral" third party to show us exactly what's going on behind closed doors.

That said, we don't live in a utopia, and it is often necessary for secrets to be kept to ensure the status quo is not upset. Futhermore, I simply don't trust Assange; what is his motive? Who gave him the mandate to be the USA's moral compass? (Not the US citizens, since they didn't vote for him!) What makes him think he knows better than the men and women who have dedicated their lives to keeping secrets for their country? How come he has only targeted democracies, not theocracies or dictatorships? Who is funding him, and why? Who is passing secrets to him, and why? Why so many unanswered questions around a man and and organisation that claim to be suporting democracy?

If you support Assange and Wikileaks, give me their motives. (No idealism BS please, this is the 21st century and idealism doesn't pay the bills.) Until they come clean on what they're really up to, I will continue to view them as enemies of democracy, not friends.

 

[alloytoo]

I voted evil.

This Assange moron is a pretty irresponsible prick who is doing this for his own gratification and doesn't care about the consequences.
Wonder how many people are going to die so this guy can look like a hero to morons.

I voted uncertain, but I agree with your sentiments in this.

There are privacy issues at stake here, if he's willing to ignore government and corporate privacy, how long before your personal privacy is victim?

Furthermore, as delightful as it is to shout "Public good" in respect of government information, there is, I'm sure, some information which is meaningless to me as an individual citizen, but dangerous in the hands of an enemy of my state.

 

[Palimino]

That said, we don't live in a utopia, and it is often necessary for secrets to be kept to ensure the status quo is not upset.

Roger on the utopia and the sheep are not total morons; they realise that it is necessary to sometimes keep secrets for reasons of national security. It is the gratuitous concealment of stuff that has NOTHING to do with national security that is objectionable.

Futhermore, I simply don't trust Assange; what is his motive? Who gave him the mandate to be the USA's moral compass?

This is profit-centred American thinking who cannot conceive of a motive that is not related to $$$$. Why does someone have to ‘give’ him a mandate? Maybe he just got ill contemplating the crap.

What makes him think he knows better than the men and women who have dedicated their lives to keeping secrets for their country?

They have ‘dedicated their lives to keeping secrets for their country’ because of a paycheck and the power and status it gives them. Nothing more.

How come he has only targeted democracies, not theocracies or dictatorships?

He targets those who leak stuff to WikiLeaks (duh). Maybe theocracies and dictatorships have better control of sensitive material. Do you really think he wouldn’t leak it if he had it?

I get weary of responding to obviously self-interested tantrums. Maybe apply some independent thought to the situation instead of walking in lockstep with the US.

 

[EtienneK]

Where's the Chaotic Good option?

 

[w1z4rd]

I voted uncertain, but I agree with your sentiments in this.

There are privacy issues at stake here, if he's willing to ignore government and corporate privacy, how long before your personal privacy is victim?

Furthermore, as delightful as it is to shout "Public good" in respect of government information, there is, I'm sure, some information which is meaningless to me as an individual citizen, but dangerous in the hands of an enemy of my state.

I wanna work for you, in your world the employee is allowed to keep secrets from the boss and make decisions on the boss`s life without the boss being allowed to know!