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WikiLeaks

technology Maturity 11-13 politics
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WikiLeaks shares secret papers.

Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
They show things leaders hide. This helps people know the truth. It can be hard for them. Some people are not happy about it. Do you like to learn new things?

39 words

WikiLeaks shares secret papers.

Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
A man named Julian Assange started it. It helps people see what leaders hide. This can show if leaders are being unfair.
Wikileaks protest Madrid 11th December 2.jpg
Wikileaks protest Madrid 11th December 2.jpg
Sometimes, sharing these papers can be hard. Some people get angry about it. Other people give them money to help. They want to make sure the truth comes out. It is a big job to tell the truth.

74 words

WikiLeaks is a group that shares secret papers.

Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
Julian Assange started it in 2006. People send them papers in secret. These papers often show what governments are doing.
Wikileaks protest Madrid 11th December 2.jpg
Wikileaks protest Madrid 11th December 2.jpg
WikiLeaks has shared over ten million documents. They have shown things like war logs and emails. These leaks can show if leaders are being unfair. Some of these papers showed how people were hurt in wars.

Not everyone thinks WikiLeaks is good. Some people say they share too much private info. Others say the group is not fair in its work. In 2010, many workers left the group. They did not like how Assange ran things. They also had fights about how to keep secrets safe.

Assange Domscheit-Berg.jpg
Assange Domscheit-Berg.jpg
Now, WikiLeaks has many problems. Assange is in prison. This makes it hard for them to publish new things. They also struggle to get money from donors. This makes their work very difficult today.

160 words

WikiLeaks is a non-profit media group that publishes leaked documents.

Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
It aims to bring transparency to the world. This means making secret information available to everyone. The group helps people see what governments and big companies are doing. It focuses on exposing things that should be known by the public. By doing this, it tries to help people hold leaders accountable. This work is important for a fair and open society.

How does the group work? It relies on anonymous sources to provide secret files. These sources send documents to the organization without giving their names.

Wikileaks protest Madrid 11th December 2.jpg
Wikileaks protest Madrid 11th December 2.jpg
Once the group receives these files, they publish them for the world to see. This includes things like military logs, diplomatic cables, and private emails. Sometimes, these leaks show human rights violations or corruption. The group uses these documents to show how power is used in different lands. This process helps turn hidden secrets into public knowledge.

Julian Assange founded the group in 2006.

Assange Domscheit-Berg.jpg
Assange Domscheit-Berg.jpg
He was inspired by Daniel Ellsberg, who released the Pentagon Papers in 1971. Assange wanted to make the time between a leak and news coverage much shorter. The group started in Australia with help from Daniel Mathews. They later moved their servers to Sweden to find better legal protection. The website first published a document in December 2006. Since then, the group has released more than ten million documents.

WikiLeaks has published many famous and controversial items.

2007-07-12 sun measurement.png
2007-07-12 sun measurement.png
They released video of a 2007 Baghdad airstrike called "Collateral Murder." They also shared thousands of US military field logs from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. During the 2016 US election, they released emails from the Democratic National Committee. These releases led to the resignation of the DNC chairwoman. The group has also exposed surveillance tools used by the CIA. These facts show the wide reach of their work.

Not everyone agrees with how WikiLeaks operates. Some people criticize the group for sharing private details like medical info. Others say the group shows bias in its work. In 2010, many key members left due to fights about management.

Secret Laws,placard in front of Ecuador embassy.jpg
Secret Laws,placard in front of Ecuador embassy.jpg
Daniel Domscheit-Berg resigned after a disagreement with Assange. Today, the group faces many hard jobs. Assange is currently in prison, which makes publishing difficult. They also struggle to get money because of funding restrictions. This makes their future very uncertain.

412 words

WikiLeaks is a non-profit media organization that specializes in publishing leaked documents.

Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
Its primary mission is to promote transparency and justice by making classified information public. The group provides a platform for anonymous sources to share secrets that might otherwise remain hidden. By releasing these documents, WikiLeaks aims to expose unethical behavior in governments and large corporations. This work is intended to hold powerful institutions accountable to the public. Since its founding, the organization has released more than ten million documents and related analyses.

The organization operates through a specific process of receiving and releasing information. Anonymous whistleblowers provide documents, such as military logs, diplomatic cables, or private emails. WikiLeaks then publishes these files to allow for widespread public scrutiny. This method was designed by founder Julian Assange to shorten the time between a leak occurring and the media covering it. The group has focused on various regions, including Asia, the former Soviet bloc, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East. It also assists individuals in Western nations who wish to reveal misconduct within their own systems.

WikiLeaks has published several high-profile document caches that have caused global attention. One notable release was a video titled "Collateral Murder," which showed a 2007 Baghdad airstrike.

2007-07-12 sun measurement.png
2007-07-12 sun measurement.png
This footage depicted a US helicopter crew and resulted in the deaths of Iraqi Reuters journalists and other civilians. The group also released thousands of US military field logs from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2016, WikiLeaks published emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Hillary Clinton's campaign manager. These releases showed the committee working to undercut Bernie Sanders' campaign, which led to the resignation of the DNC chairwoman.

The history of WikiLeaks began in 2006, inspired by Daniel Ellsberg's 1971 release of the Pentagon Papers. Julian Assange established the group in Australia with the assistance of Daniel Mathews. To find better legal protections for the media, the organization moved its servers to Sweden and other countries. The wikileaks.org domain was registered on October 4, 2006, and the first document was published in December of that year. The founding team was a diverse group of dissidents, journalists, mathematicians, and technologists from many different countries.

Wikileaks protest Madrid 11th December 2.jpg
Wikileaks protest Madrid 11th December 2.jpg
Over the years, the group has evolved from a wiki-format website to a more complex publishing platform.

Despite its goals, the organization has faced significant challenges and criticism. Some critics argue that WikiLeaks does not adequately curate its content. This has led to the accidental release of private information, such as Social Security numbers, medical records, and credit card details. Others have accused the group of having political biases or promoting conspiracy theories. In 2010, the organization experienced major internal dissent and a series of resignations.

Assange Domscheit-Berg.jpg
Assange Domscheit-Berg.jpg
Daniel Domscheit-Berg, the German spokesman, resigned due to disagreements over management and the handling of document redactions. He claimed the organization had structural problems regarding transparency and security.

Financial and legal pressures have also impacted the organization's ability to function. WikiLeaks has faced interruptions in its donation systems from various payment processors. Because of these restrictions, the Wau Holland Foundation now helps process its donations. The organization has also been targeted by campaigns intended to discredit it. For example, the CIA and the US Congress characterized WikiLeaks as a "non-state hostile intelligence service" following the release of the Vault 7 hacking tools.

Secret Laws,placard in front of Ecuador embassy.jpg
Secret Laws,placard in front of Ecuador embassy.jpg
Currently, Julian Assange's imprisonment and increased government surveillance have made it difficult for the group to publish new original documents.

WikiLeaks remains a central figure in discussions about freedom of the press and digital privacy. It has won various awards for increasing transparency and enhancing democratic discourse. However, the tension between the public's right to know and an individual's right to privacy remains a core conflict. The group's work connects to broader themes of cyber warfare, state surveillance, and the power of information in the digital age. As technology changes, the methods used to leak and protect information continue to evolve, keeping the debate over WikiLeaks' role in society active.

Londres, Reunión con Julian Assange (9504697280).jpg
Londres, Reunión con Julian Assange (9504697280).jpg

686 words
🖼️ Images & Media (7)
File:Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
Julian Assange August 2014.jpg
File:2007-07-12 sun measurement.png
2007-07-12 sun measurement.png
File:Wikileaks protest Madrid 11th December 2.jpg
Wikileaks protest Madrid 11th December 2.jpg
File:Secret Laws,placard in front of Ecuador embassy.jpg
Secret Laws,placard in front of Ecuador...
File:Londres, Reunión con Julian Assange (9504697280).jpg
Londres, Reunión con Julian Assange...
File:Assange Domscheit-Berg.jpg
Assange Domscheit-Berg.jpg
File:Bilbao - Ribera de Deusto 04.JPG
Bilbao - Ribera de Deusto 04.JPG
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