Wikileaks Presses On
Two weeks ago, the site Wikileaks.org released a new batch of over 90,000 documents concerning the US war in Afghanistan that have sparked governmental outrage and increasing discussion on the importance of whistle-blowers and their possible dangers.
It is not shocking then to suspect that nations which see Wikileaks as threat to national security may try to censor them through digital means. Our reports here at Herdict show a definite, sharp rise in the reporting of inaccessibility for the site immediately after the documents were released. Then, as the graph below shows, there has been a substantial increase in reporting activity continuing thereafter.
Herdict Reporting Data for Wikileaks.org
Considering that in a recent press conference, the U.S. Department of Defense suggested that it may take some sort of action against Wikileaks (hypothesized that it may invoke a “clear and present danger” argument to challenge Wikileaks’ first amendment rights), the Herdict admins have been following the situation closely to see what happens with accessibility to the site worldwide.
Help the global community monitor the state of accessibility for Wikileaks by using the Herdictreporter or by reporting through Twitter @herdictreport.
Check back for more updates as the situation develops.
About the Author: Alex Fayette
Alex is a Junior at Yale University who is currently an intern with the Berkman Center for Internet and Society @ Harvard Law School. His focus this summer is with Herdict.org and also with other Berkman projects falling under the Freedom of Expression umbrella. He is majoring in Economics and Physics, and loves singing and aviation on the side.
