The Internet is the global virtual network uniting more than billion of computers. Definitively having fixed in mass consciousness, the Internet has turned a habitual sight at distribution of information – now enough just two clicks to make news be open for public. The World wide web For it’s anonymity was liked by supporters of the independent sights, found a new opening for the truth report in 21st century. One of the sensational resources, which leaks the forbidden state data, became a WikiLeaks project. WikiLeaks is a new word in the industry of news and media. It is possible to tell safely that this resource represents the news edition of a new format, a prototype of mass-media of the future. Project specializes on any promulgation of the coded information and the data which aren’t intended for publicity.
With the appearance of Wikileaks portal influence of Internet space on almost all aspects of life as in separately taken country, as in the world community has considerably increased. For the sake of justice, it is necessary to notice that from the very beginning of realization of the Wikileaks project, its founders put a problem of placing not only the various political or closed governmental information, but also any other data which for any reasons is sacred, but should be accessible to the public. And it was possible to them. It is possible to expect prompt occurrence of “followers” of ideology of this Internet resource and, first of all, at regional levels, as itself WikiLeaks – is not the first on-line project of such sort. For a long time in the Network there were similar sites like Cryptome and The Smoking Gun. The only thing that can constrain this process is questions of financing of such project.
The editor-in-chief of the original edition ideological inspirer of WikiLeaks is Julian Assange. The exact quantity of editors and their names are unknown, but presumably, their number reaches 20 persons. WikiLeaks has quickly collected the huge file with the compromising evidence – more than one million classified documents was at the disposal of editors of a resource in some months after project had started. During the period of 2007-2010 WikiLeaks has published hundred thousand classified documents of USA army among which there were shocking reports from a battlefield. The resource has opened eyes to citizens of the Earth on an event in the American prison of Guantanamo, has informed on how the Swiss banks carry out money-laundering, and has told about crimes in Congo made under the aegis of missions of the United Nations. Project WikiLeaks has got a world fame in the middle of 2010 when the site has published set of documents of the Pentagon including shocking shooting in which the American soldier shoots peace Iraq journalists, by mistake having accepted them for terrorists. The greatest scandals and political consequences have been caused by the publication of materials about methods of work of the American diplomacy and degree of its influence in the world. Huge indignation was caused by the dispatch of State Department of the USA, demanding to get all data, concerning managements of secretary of the United Nations, including the general secretary. Since the same time in activity of Assange and his associates US authorities for the first time have become interested, and the resource has turned, as often call it on television, in a world information funnel.
The given process has both positive and negative sides. On the one hand, very serious step to a direction of control of activity of politicians, representatives of power structures, financial tycoons is taken by the public and society. But there were also negative moments – for example, last year the American military man Bradley Manning has been arrested and accused in crimes against the state. The Large quantity of documents from «the Afghani archive» has come into the view of insurgents of the Taliban who use them for search of informants cooperating with Americans. During time of site operating, it repeatedly was tried to block, in particular in the Peoples Republic of China, Thailand and the USA, but every time the resource continued the work.
In any sense effect of exposing publications on site WikiLeaks – a direct consequence of the device of the modern society constructed round ideas of a freedom of speech, the right to the information and penetrated by computer networks. It is difficult to understand is Assange «worked on a glory», or the glory itself has found him, but it is obvious that Julian Assange’s case has drawn attention of the whole world to himself.
In my opinion, despite the veil of the uncertainty which has hung over Assange – already his brave act – attempt to open an eye of the “short-sighted” public – is worthy respected. The example of Assange and his followers confirms that fact, as to this day, among us live people ready at the cost of their life fight the establishment and as well as to bring truth to public.
d, ultimately, still will face a choice: to enhance this self-imposed isolation and to pay for her increasing price, or to weaken the control of Internet space.
thugja 