For a website that promotes outing the truth, Wikileaks works hard to both hide the source of their funding and how they use that money. I suspect if those truths were ever outed, Wikileaks' credibility among its fans would be permanently damaged.
Recall that Wikileaks supported the defense of Bradley Manning, somewhere in the order of $60k US, whilst denying that this confirms that Manning was a Wikileaks source.
Julian was quoted as saying that Wikileaks will defend anyone accused of being a Wikileaks source, whether confirmed or otherwise - because if they pick and choose who to defend, the bad guys can figure out who their sources are.
So if I'm understanding you correctly, the government has the capability to track people who bit-torrent files, but then why doesn't the entertainment industry use the same tactic to defeat piracy?
Is it a technology issue on the part of Big Brother? Or does it have more to do with admissible evidence in court?
Not talking about their payroll and their expenses which have to be secured for at least a years worth, obviously can't be payed for by any product sales, WL rely on charity. The cost of hosting will probably go down now that they are in cahoots with Swedens Pirate Party. But in any case, the costs of keeping the servers and traffic up and ridding them of assaults must be expensive. Having said that, I am also wondering how much it actually costs, but those figures I hope are a well kept secret of Julians. Free hosting exists for everyone, but as soon as your traffic goes up you are going to be either locked down or prepared to finance that traffic somehow. Anyway, hasn't the moon been full for three days now?
It's a serious question. Haven't you ever watched one of those shows that say something at the end along the lines of "accommodations provided by such and such hotel" and they say what airline?
No no no, not a trip to the show. I'm talking about Wikileaks having to fly journalists to other countries and investigate. also they get sued constantly. I'm just saying he mentioned this on Colbert.
Recall that Wikileaks supported the defense of Bradley Manning, somewhere in the order of $60k US, whilst denying that this confirms that Manning was a Wikileaks source.
Julian was quoted as saying that Wikileaks will defend anyone accused of being a Wikileaks source, whether confirmed or otherwise - because if they pick and choose who to defend, the bad guys can figure out who their sources are.
25 comments
8 sangjmoon 2010-08-25
For a website that promotes outing the truth, Wikileaks works hard to both hide the source of their funding and how they use that money. I suspect if those truths were ever outed, Wikileaks' credibility among its fans would be permanently damaged.
1 nfulton 2010-08-25
_Folks who support them may be identified as enemies of the state . . . that's why their funding is secret . . . _
You're saying "that could never happen" but it could and if they keep doing what they're doing it will.
0 xandercruise 2010-08-25
Recall that Wikileaks supported the defense of Bradley Manning, somewhere in the order of $60k US, whilst denying that this confirms that Manning was a Wikileaks source.
Julian was quoted as saying that Wikileaks will defend anyone accused of being a Wikileaks source, whether confirmed or otherwise - because if they pick and choose who to defend, the bad guys can figure out who their sources are.
7 borez 2010-08-25
Traffic. The more you get, the more you pay in bandwidth, wikileaks gets a lot of traffic.
2 brad3378 2010-08-25
That's my point.
Why pay for bandwidth if you can post files on a bit torrent website for free?
7 Sec_Henry_Paulson 2010-08-25
because the government would be able to track every single person that downloads any of their documents.
*I take it that the downvotes mean that you all don't understand the technology. Genius.
1 brad3378 2010-08-25
So if I'm understanding you correctly, the government has the capability to track people who bit-torrent files, but then why doesn't the entertainment industry use the same tactic to defeat piracy?
Is it a technology issue on the part of Big Brother? Or does it have more to do with admissible evidence in court?
3 borez 2010-08-25
I hear you, but sometimes you just want to see the file and not bother with a torrent on there.
2 eyewoo 2010-08-25
Not talking about their payroll and their expenses which have to be secured for at least a years worth, obviously can't be payed for by any product sales, WL rely on charity. The cost of hosting will probably go down now that they are in cahoots with Swedens Pirate Party. But in any case, the costs of keeping the servers and traffic up and ridding them of assaults must be expensive. Having said that, I am also wondering how much it actually costs, but those figures I hope are a well kept secret of Julians. Free hosting exists for everyone, but as soon as your traffic goes up you are going to be either locked down or prepared to finance that traffic somehow. Anyway, hasn't the moon been full for three days now?
2 eyewoo 2010-08-25
Why downvote? This is in fact true.
0 Crompee 2010-08-25
and they need to route the traffic through various countrys :p
5 xoites 2010-08-25
They intend to corner the market on cupcakes and drive up the price.
3 [deleted] 2010-08-25
Oh Dearism.
"I feel good cause I'm donatin' to the cause..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOq1vQIt4UU
3 brad3378 2010-08-25
I'm a big fan of Adam Curtis but I had not yet seen that clip. Thanks for sharing!
3 charbo187 2010-08-25
because wikileaks is government PSYOPS.
1 brad3378 2010-08-25
So it's covert funding for CIA Black Ops shit?
Very interesting. I like that theory. If anything, at least it would make for a great movie script.
1 cybersphere9 2010-08-25
Because no one is going to randomly guess the names of the relevant files.
You need a website to centralise everything and summarise it. Summarisation alone is a very labour intensive journalistic process.
0 brad3378 2010-08-25
Summarisation or Spin?
(i.e. "Collateral Murder")
1 SHAGGSTaRR 2010-08-25
Because a lot of their "leaks" (like the thousands they initially opened up shop with) are actually from tor exit nodes that they run.
1 [deleted] 2010-08-25
They have to fly people places to protect sources and ask permission to be featured. There was an interview with Colbert on it.
1 brad3378 2010-08-25
Don't talk shows normally cover those type of expenses?
1 [deleted] 2010-08-25
is this a joke?
1 brad3378 2010-08-25
It's a serious question. Haven't you ever watched one of those shows that say something at the end along the lines of "accommodations provided by such and such hotel" and they say what airline?
3 [deleted] 2010-08-25
No no no, not a trip to the show. I'm talking about Wikileaks having to fly journalists to other countries and investigate. also they get sued constantly. I'm just saying he mentioned this on Colbert.
1 brad3378 2010-08-25
Touche' and an upvote for you. Good points.
1 nfulton 2010-08-25
_Folks who support them may be identified as enemies of the state . . . that's why their funding is secret . . . _
You're saying "that could never happen" but it could and if they keep doing what they're doing it will.
0 xandercruise 2010-08-25
Recall that Wikileaks supported the defense of Bradley Manning, somewhere in the order of $60k US, whilst denying that this confirms that Manning was a Wikileaks source.
Julian was quoted as saying that Wikileaks will defend anyone accused of being a Wikileaks source, whether confirmed or otherwise - because if they pick and choose who to defend, the bad guys can figure out who their sources are.