Premium Essay

Julian Assange Research Paper

Submitted By
Words 2082
Pages 9
The outbreak of Wikileaks has aroused global shock and debate. Julian P. Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, is now one of the most controversial figures. He established the Wikileaks and published a large number of confidential documents from government agencies, including the U.S. government, on the website. The U.S. government regards Assange as an irritant; on the other hand, many people call him “Robin Hood on the Internet” because he is brave to fight the government for people’s right of knowing the truth. Is Assange a hero or a troublemaker? Is Wikileaks ethical or not? These issues have been argued by countless people for years. No one is able to provide a clear and correct answer. Assange and his Wikileaks have led us to the discussion of ethics. As far as I know, Wikileaks, whose purpose is to reveal secret information and news leaks, cannot be simply defined as completely ethical or unethical. The ethical standards on this issue will depend on the circumstances. We have the right and freedom to know and express, but we must be responsible to not cross the ethical line.
In December 2006, 35-year-old Australian reporter, Julian Assange, led his team of journalists and hackers to establish a website named Wikileaks. This website defines …show more content…
On one hand, supporters of Wikileaks indicate that people deserve the truth. They argue that Wikileaks can help the public to know more about the government, and thus further push the government to be more responsible and perform better. On the other hand, Wikileaks perturbs many people, because the website is available to everyone in the world without any jurisdiction to control the use of the published information. Anyone can access the documents on Wikileaks in any way, leading to the potential for unethical use of the information. If someone uses the secrets for an illegal or immoral purpose, can we still agree that Wikileaks is

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Can Wikileaks Be Found Guilty of a Crime for Its Release of the Iraq War Materials?

...enormous audience from anywhere in the world with the simple push of a button, and where wars are no longer declared on a country but on generalized “terror,” is a site like WikiLeaks protected? WikiLeaks Background WikiLeaks states on its website: WikiLeaks is a non-profit media organization dedicated to bringing important news and information to the public. We provide an innovative, secure and anonymous way for independent sources around the world to leak information to our journalists. We publish material of ethical, political and historical significance while keeping the identity of our sources anonymous, thus providing a universal way for revealing of supposed and censored injustices. WikiLeaks, founded in 2006 by Australian Julian Assange and a small group of activist and computer experts, is a whistle-blowing website which “aims to bring to light secret information about governments and corporations” (“Times Topics”). “[I]t is the world’s first stateless news organization, because it belongs to the Internet rather than to the laws and culture of any one country” (Peters)....

Words: 5807 - Pages: 24

Free Essay

Mr Edgy

...of WikiLeaks, an hourglass with one globe leaking to the second | | Web address | WikiLeaks.org [1] a | Slogan | We open governments. | Commercial? | No | Type of site | Document archive and disclosure | Registration | None | Available in | English, but the documents are written in various languages | Owner | Sunshine Press | Created by | Julian Assange | Launched | 4 October 2006 | Alexa rank | 14,957 (April 2014[2]) | Current status | Online | WikiLeaks is an international, online, non-profit, journalistic organisation which publishes secret information, news leaks, and classified media from anonymous sources. Its website, initiated in 2006 in Iceland by the organization Sunshine Press, claimed a database of more than 1.2 million documents within a year of its launch. Julian Assange, an Australian Internet activist, is generally described as its founder, editor-in-chief, and director. Kristinn Hrafnsson, Joseph Farrell, and Sarah Harrison are the only other publicly known and acknowledged associates of Julian Assange. Hrafnsson is also a member of Sunshine Press Productions along with Assange, Ingi Ragnar Ingason, and Gavin MacFadyen.[3][4] The group has released a number of significant documents which have become front-page news items. Early releases included documentation of equipment expenditures and holdings in the Afghanistan war and corruption in Kenya. In April 2010, WikiLeaks published gunsight footage from the 12 July 2007 Baghdad airstrike...

Words: 12383 - Pages: 50

Free Essay

Wiki Leaks

...The purpose of this paper is to gain useful information on what Wikileaks is about. This paper will give you information on who founded Wikileaks and several findings that Wikileaks published for the public to view. Wikileaks is a non-profit organization that’s put together by several people. The purpose if wikileaks is to bring important news and information to the public “We provide an innovative, secure and anonymous way for sources to leak information to our journalists (our electronic drop box). One of our most important activities is to publish original source material alongside our news stories so readers and historians alike can see evidence of the truth. We are a young organization that has grown very quickly, relying on a network of dedicated volunteers around the globe. Since 2007, when the organization was officially launched, WikiLeaks has worked to report on and publish important information. We also develop and adapt technologies to support these activities.” (www.wikileaks.org) In one month, the Wikileaks submitted over 400,000 secret military logs that were tied to the operation in Iraq. This gave every death in Iraq and across the boarder in Iran to be mapped. Wikileaks released 76,900 documents about the war in Afghanistan that was not available to the public. In April 2011, Wilileaks began publishing files that had to do with secret information relating to prisoners. One might ask how they get away with posting and airing such information. Wikileaks had...

Words: 1539 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Why Are Shield Laws Important?

...Shield laws are “Statutes affording a privilege to journalists not to disclose in legal proceedings confidential information or sources of information obtained in their professional capacities.” While there is no federal shield law, 49 states and the District of Columbia have some form of protection for journalists. In all, 12 states have a shield law that gives absolute privilege to journalists, 25 states give journalists limited quantified privileges, and most of the remaining states have a court-recognized precedent that shields journalists. The purpose of this paper is to examine how states define exactly what a journalist is, and what definition would work best for a federal law. Rem Rieder, a media columnist at USA Today explains why shield laws are important, writing: “This is hardly an issue that matters only to journalists. Many watchdog stories important to the American people depend on confidential sources, people who would put themselves or their jobs in danger if they were identified.” When a source has a journalist’s promise their name will not be public, some groundbreaking stories can be written. With additional backing of a federal shield law, more people might be willing to come forward and be part of watchdog stories. However journalists historically do not have an...

Words: 2558 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Ethic - Ritz Carlton Case

...LECTURE ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW FALL 2012 DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES WHAT MUST WE HIDE: THE ETHICS OF PRIVACY AND THE ETHOS OF DISCLOSURE ANITA L. ALLEN' I. INTRODUCTION We live in an era of persotial revelation. We are preoccupied by seeking, gathering, and disclosing information about others and ourselves. In the age of revelation, individuals and enterprises are fond of ferreting out what is btiried away. We are fond of broadcasting what we know, think, do, and feel; and we are motivated by business and pleasure because we care about friendship, kinship, health, wealth, education, politics, justice, and culture. A lot of this has to do with technology, of course. We live at a historical moment characterized by the wide availability of multiple modes of communication and stored data, easily and frequently accessed. Our communications are capable of disclosing breadths and depths of personal, personally identifiable, and sensitive information to many people rapidly. In this era of revelation—dominated by portable electronics, intemet social media, reality television, and traditional talk radio—^many of us are losing our sense of privacy, our taste for privacy, and our willingness to respect privacy. Is this set of losses a bad thing? If it is a bad thing, what can be done about it? My refiections on these questions begin with a series of diverse examples from the past several years. The examples illustrate the emergent ethos of our revelatory era. The first...

Words: 7837 - Pages: 32

Premium Essay

Amazon

...Since its founding, the website Amazon.com has attracted criticism and controversy from multiple sources, where the ethics of certain business practices and policies have been drawn into question. Amazon has faced numerous allegations of anti-competitive or monopolistic behavior, both in and out of court. This includes documented instances of price differentiation, enforcement of controversial patents against competitors, attempts to prevent discounted direct selling by publishers, and a declared intention to cease working with third-party print on demand services in favour of its own. Questions have been raised concerning the company's legal compliance. In 2002, Amazon faced a challenge to the legitimacy of their Canadian operations, although that case was subsequently dropped. A 2009 ruling in Japan found that the company, which had tried to avoid paying corporate tax in the country, was in fact liable to pay. Controversy over taxation has arisen on multiple occasions: It was reported in 2012 that Amazon is under investigation in the UK, while in the US the company has attracted criticism for only collecting sales tax from customers in five states. Compounding these problems, there have been reports of poor treatment of workers, with allegations of summary dismissals for health problems and anti-unionization tactics including mass layoffs. Some controversies have centered around content. The bookstore has carried titles such as The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure and...

Words: 4216 - Pages: 17

Free Essay

Bangla

...Copyright 2013 You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ doc/open-government-licence/ or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at: enquiries@supremecourt.gsi.gov.uk You can download this publication from www.supremecourt.gov.uk ISBN: 9780102983234 Printed in the UK by The Stationery Office Limited on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office ID 2557463 05/13 Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre content minimum. The Supreme Court Annual Report and Accounts 2012–2013 4 Contents one FOREWORD AND INTRODUCTION SETTING DIRECTION: OUR OBJECTIVES AND OPERATING CONTEXT two THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES three SERVING THE UK AND BEYOND: JURISDICTION AND CASEWORK (A) UKSC (B) JCPC 15 (A) UKSC Overview of jurisdictions Rules and Practice Directions 19 19 19 four INCREASING ACCESSIBILITY: COMMUNICATIONS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS A warm welcome to visitors Educating and inspiring Explaining our role Working with media A user-focused online presence...

Words: 33717 - Pages: 135

Free Essay

Cybersecurity

...Cybersecurity and U.S.-China Relations 网络安全与美中关系 Kenneth Lieberthal and Peter W. Singer 李侃如,彼得. W. 辛格 Cybersecurity and U.S.-China Relations 网络安全与美中关系 Kenneth Lieberthal and Peter W. Singer 李侃如,彼得. W. 辛格 February 2012 Authors’ Note F or the last year, the John L. Thornton China Center and the 21st Century Defense Initiative at Brookings have convened a working group on cybersecurity and U.S.-China relations, which the two authors organized and co-chaired. The research was motivated by our sense that: 1) the many policy issues involved in cybersecurity, especially in its impact on foreign relations, were already significant and would grow rapidly in importance in the coming years; 2) that such issues, if not well managed, could provide a major source of international friction, especially in U.S.-China relations; and 3) the newness of the field added a particularly complicating factor, making cybersecurity one of the most important but least understood emerging flashpoints in global security. A key aspect of the effort was to convene several dozen knowledgeable Americans from both the private and public sector, including the civilian government, military, corporate, think tank, and university communities. With such dynamic and fast-changing events playing out, the Brookings project not only sought to study the key issues in cybersecurity and how they impact U.S.-China relations, but also to break down some of the organizational and bureaucratic stovepipes that have limited...

Words: 17963 - Pages: 72

Premium Essay

The Wall Street Journal Case in the News

...Final PDF to printer 2 Values, Attitudes, Emotions, and Culture: The Manager as a Person LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 1 Describe the various personality traits that affect how managers think, feel, and behave. [LO 2-1] 4 Describe the nature of emotional intelligence and its role in management. [LO 2-4] 2 Explain what values and attitudes are and describe their impact on managerial action. [LO 2-2] 5 Define organizational culture and explain how managers both create and are influenced by organizational culture. [LO 2-5] 3 Appreciate how moods and emotions influence all members of an organization. [LO 2-3] jon62538_ch02_044-077.indd 44 11/1/13 7:13 PM Final PDF to printer No wonder the fabrics perform so well! With an inventor like Kevin Plank, Under Armour’s innovative endurance products give larger sporting goods companies a run for their money. MANAGEMENT SNAPSHOT Kevin Plank’s Determination at Under Armour What Does It Take to Succeed Against Tough Odds? W hen Kevin Plank was a walk-on fullback football player at the University of Maryland in the 1990s, he often became annoyed that his T-shirt was soaked and weighted down with sweat. Always an original thinker, he wondered why athletic apparel couldn’t be made out of some kind of polyester blend that would help athletes’ and sports aficionados’ muscles stay cool while wicking away, and not holding...

Words: 17700 - Pages: 71

Premium Essay

Unesco

...strong democracies, contributing to good governance, promoting civic participation and the rule of law, and encouraging human development and security. Media independence and pluralism are fostered by the Organization, providing advisory services on media legislation and sensitizing governments and parliamentarians, as well as civil society and relevant professional associations. However, UNESCO recognizes that the principle of freedom of expression must apply not only to traditional media, but also to the Internet. Providing an unprecedented volume of resources for information and knowledge, the Internet opens up new opportunities for expression and participation and holds enormous potential for development. This comprehensive research publication examines the changing legal and regulatory ecology that has shaped the Internet over the years. The researchwas...

Words: 39228 - Pages: 157

Premium Essay

Lauder Global Insights

...examine current trends and recent developments shaping today’s global marketplace. The articles cover a wide variety of topics ranging from technology, innovation and brand building to infrastructure, entrepreneurship and social impact. A section on consumer markets looks at the popularity of e-cigarettes in France and elsewhere, efforts by Japanese firms to expand their businesses into Asia, new trends in French gastronomy, changes in Japan’s traditional food-consumption habits, and how a sector of the Chinese population is spreading, and spending, its newfound wealth. The report offers an analysis linking market-driven strategies with social impact in Peru and Colombia, as well as an article describing South Carolina’s embrace of innovative research. Other articles look at the Russian government’s attempt to reboot the city of Skolkovo as an innovation hub, the mixed success of innovation efforts in China, and the growing threat of cybercrime to businesses across the world. The challenges of infrastructure and planning are addressed in analyses of transportation in areas of Latin America, deficiencies in Brazil’s infrastructure, and real estate’s impact on Peru’s emerging middle class. Business and politics underpin a number of economic forces, as noted in articles on corruption and protest in India, social unrest in Brazil, the potential of the gemstone tanzanite to help develop Tanzania’s economy, and growing frictions between China and Myanmar. Cities on the move in the global economy...

Words: 56733 - Pages: 227

Free Essay

The Economist

...The Economist 本 PDF 由人人网《经济学人》翻译组提供翻译、整理 新浪微博请关注 http://weibo.com/tett 原文版权归经济学人集团所有 小组地址 http://xiaozu.renren.com/xiaozu/228064 主宰自己人生的秘诀在于求知与冒险,前者让你预见未来,后者让你掌控你所预见的未来。 鸣 组长:钮成拓 组长:胡伟凡 谢 翻译 A 组(一周时事 The world this week 文艺 Books and Arts) 组员:史心语 李雅婷 罗智 朱田牧 沈鱼 唐宇 熊朋迪 姚欣悦 翻译 B 组(财经 Finance & Economics 科技 Science & Technology) 组员:陈默 汤旭武 熊佳 黄文琦 王紫珊 徐莉钦 袁子葳 陈玉梅 许青 汤永永 翻译 C 组(精粹 Briefing 亚洲 Asia) 组长:贺鹏 组员:董董 王英莲 金婧华 杨婕 郑玮 闵昂 董平 苏秋秋 刘畅 杨畅 翻译 D 组(商业 Business 社论 Leaders) 组长:卢爽 组员:程娟 曹宝平 张力 巩子笠 王同同 谢乙德 赵一蓉 管浩波 翻译 E 组(美国 United States 美洲 The Americas) 组长:程蒙 组员:慧子 孔德威 栾子越 裴静 郑恒 胡文玉 王思思 马绍博 李苏 翻译 F 组(中东与非洲 Middle East and Africa 国际 International) 组长:单李扬 组员:樊睿 沈骜 林冰洁 李小千 黄献禾 蔡丽艳 李骏 刘超 翻译 G 组(英国 Britain 欧洲 Europe) 组长:周薇薇 组员:徐文婕 周开文 郭伟华 战培良 郭爽 芳菲 柳杨 王征 李慧彗 郭心睿 李寅 罗丹 张亚玲 校对组 组长:尹茜 组员:李晓敏 任昊 汪楚航 胡心云 张诗玲 张理中 王晴 刘洋 杨舒雅 费凡 ——组员专访 没有赶上这周的小组会议, 但是也得服从组织安排啊。 这周的题目是政治和金融的结合体, 尽管不长, 也让我大费周章。 虽然嘴上说再也不要碰经济类的文章了,但是心里还是有种想要去正视自己软肋的冲动。每次都是拖拖拉拉直到最后,有时 候还要翻译到一点多,厚着脸皮向刘总、组长和校对组的同学们表示深深的歉意。 因为考研,我加入了这个小组,从当初看不得群里一片喧哗,气愤从网横行的河蟹,然后为分组纠结,再到后来认识了 好多朋友,成长的确是一件值得开心的事情。那么多伙伴祝我生日快乐,我一条一条看过去,留下了一个一边笑一边想哭的 扭曲表情。 今天刘总把人人小组对翻译团的超好评发出来了,今后也请各位继续多多努力,我们的目标还很远大呢! C 组-苏秋秋 2011.9.10 《经济学人》中英文对照版 2011 年 9 月 10 日刊 免费订阅地址:http://s8.hk/5vqm -1- 本刊旨在提供学习交流之用,请于下载后 24 小时内删除,我们鼓励购买正版! The Economist 本 周 政 治 要 闻 BY 史 心 语 &罗 智 本 周 商 业 要 闻 BY 唐 宇 &熊 朋 迪 本 PDF 由人人网《经济学人》翻译组提供翻译、整理 财 经 Finance & Economics 红币在国外 新浪微博请关注 http://weibo.com/tett 原文版权归经济学人集团所有 小组地址 http://xiaozu.renren.com/xiaozu/228064 ...

Words: 122696 - Pages: 491