Damon Mcknight
WikiLeaks is a non-profit media organisation that publishes leaked documents and media from anonymous sources. It was founded in 2006 by Julian Assange, who described it as an activist organisation. WikiLeaks has faced criticism and legal repercussions for its activities, including accusations of bias and associations with the Russian government. In 2010, the organisation made headlines when it released sensitive information, including US diplomatic cables and documents related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. This led to debates about the legality of accessing WikiLeaks in Australia, with then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard condemning WikiLeaks' actions as grossly irresponsible and illegal. Despite this, the Australian Federal Police later stated that WikiLeaks' actions breached no Australian laws. This incident sparked discussions about internet censorship and freedom of information in Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of the controversy | 2010 |
| Person who called WikiLeaks illegal | Prime Minister Julia Gillard |
| Date of the statement | 2nd December 2010 |
| Statement | "I absolutely condemn the placement of this information on the WikiLeaks website – it's a grossly irresponsible thing to do and an illegal thing to do" |
| Clarification | Gillard later clarified that it was the theft of the US cables that was the illegal act, not WikiLeaks |
| WikiLeaks' legality in Australia | WikiLeaks broke no Australian laws |
| Public opinion | A 2010 poll showed that 59% of Australians supported WikiLeaks' actions, and a 2011 poll showed that 62% of Australians said the job WikiLeaks does is more good than bad |
| Blacklist status | WikiLeaks was added to a blacklist in Australia |
| Action taken by payment companies | Moneybookers and PayPal suspended WikiLeaks' account |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
WikiLeaks' release of US diplomatic cables
WikiLeaks is a non-profit media organisation and publisher of leaked documents, founded in 2006 by Julian Assange. It has published classified documents and other media provided by anonymous sources. WikiLeaks' website states that it has released more than ten million documents and associated analyses.
In November 2010, WikiLeaks released 250,000 classified US State Department diplomatic cables, causing a political earthquake and making Assange public enemy number one in the United States. The cables revealed numerous unguarded comments and revelations, including:
- US diplomats gathering personal information about Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and other top UN officials.
- Critiques and praises about the host countries of various US embassies.
- Arab states had called for airstrikes on Iranian nuclear installations.
- Beijing was losing patience with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.
- McDonald's attempted to pressure the US government to stall the implementation of the Dominican Republic–Central America Free Trade Agreement until El Salvador appointed "neutral judges" in a $24 million lawsuit against the company in 2006.
- US diplomats lobbied Russian politicians for US credit card companies MasterCard and Visa Inc.
The release of the cables was criticised by some, including the French Industry Minister Éric Besson, who said that WikiLeaks "violates the secret of diplomatic relations and puts people protected by diplomatic secrets in danger". The Australian Prime Minister at the time, Julia Gillard, also condemned the release of the cables, stating that it was "grossly irresponsible" and "illegal". However, the Australian Federal Police later clarified that the release of the cables by WikiLeaks breached no Australian laws.
In addition to the US diplomatic cables, WikiLeaks has also released other sensitive information, including lists of forbidden or illegal web addresses for Australia, Denmark, Norway, and Thailand, and "the collected secret 'bibles' of Scientology" in 2008.
Update Your Pet's Microchip Details: A Guide for Australians
You may want to see also
Explore related products
WikiLeaks' legality in Australia
WikiLeaks is a non-profit media organisation and publisher of leaked documents. It was founded in 2006 by Julian Assange, who described it as an "activist organisation". WikiLeaks has released over ten million documents, including lists of forbidden or illegal web addresses for several countries, US diplomatic cables, and classified documents.
In Australia, the legality of WikiLeaks has been a subject of debate. In December 2010, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard condemned WikiLeaks' actions, stating that the release of information on the site was "grossly irresponsible" and "illegal". However, the Australian Federal Police later clarified that WikiLeaks' release of US diplomatic cables breached no Australian laws. This incident sparked a debate among Australians, with a 2010 poll showing that 59% supported WikiLeaks' actions in making the cables public, while 25% opposed them. A 2011 poll by The Lowy Institute found that 62% of Australians believed WikiLeaks did more good than bad.
Despite the controversy, WikiLeaks has faced censorship attempts in Australia. In 2009, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) included WikiLeaks on its blocklist, which is used for mandatory internet filtering. This move was criticised by civil liberties campaigners, who argued that WikiLeaks itself was not illegal to view. In addition, the website has faced financial restrictions, with payment companies such as Moneybookers and PayPal terminating their relationships with WikiLeaks due to its presence on Australian and US blacklists.
The legality of WikiLeaks in Australia remains a complex issue. While the organisation has faced condemnation and censorship attempts, it also has significant public support. The Australian government's reaction to WikiLeaks has been characterised as deeply troubling by some media personnel, highlighting the ongoing debate surrounding the legality and impact of WikiLeaks in the country.
Scorpions in Western Australia: What's the Deal?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
WikiLeaks' funding and donations
WikiLeaks is a non-profit media organisation that publishes leaked documents. It is funded by donations and media partnerships. It has published classified documents and other media provided by anonymous sources.
In 2010, WikiLeaks received over $1.9 million in donations. In 2011, donations dropped sharply and WikiLeaks received only around $180,000 in donations, while their expenses increased. During September 2011, WikiLeaks began auctioning items on eBay to raise funds. WikiLeaks started accepting Bitcoin in 2011 as a currency that could not be blocked by financial institutions or governments.
The Wau Holland Foundation is one of WikiLeaks' main funding channels. The foundation manages donations sent to WikiLeaks from people all over the world through PayPal and wire transfers directed to a bank account controlled by the foundation. The foundation does not handle donations submitted through Moneybookers, a PayPal-like service, that WikiLeaks also lists on its website as a method for donating. The Wau Holland Foundation stated that it received more than €900,000 in public donations between October 2009 and December 2010, of which €370,000 was passed on to WikiLeaks. Donors can make direct bank transfers, including international transfers, to the Wau Holland Foundation's accounts in Germany, Australia, Iceland and France.
In 2012, an Icelandic district court ruled that Valitor, the Icelandic partner of Visa and MasterCard, was violating the law when it stopped accepting donations to WikiLeaks and that donations to WikiLeaks must resume within 14 days or Valitor would be fined US$6,000 a day. In response to the financial blockade of WikiLeaks, Glenn Greenwald and others created the Freedom of the Press Foundation "to block the US government from ever again being able to attack and suffocate an independent journalistic enterprise the way it did with WikiLeaks". Anonymous also launched a series of cyberattacks against companies that cut ties with WikiLeaks.
In 2018, WikiLeaks was reported to be running low on funds and needed a minimum of a million euros to continue its mission. In response, WikiLeaks launched a new payment gateway, designed to work around the blockade. The French non-profit FDNN (Fund for the Defense of Net Neutrality) has set up a Carte Bleue fund for WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks advises all global supporters to make use of this avenue immediately before VISA/MasterCard attempts to shut it down.
Finding Your Australian Marriage Date: A Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
WikiLeaks' association with Russia
WikiLeaks is a non-profit media organisation and publisher of leaked documents. It was founded in 2006 by Julian Assange, who has been accused of having links to Russia.
In 2010, Assange and WikiLeaks announced a massive dump of documents exposing corruption in the Kremlin, partnering with a Russian news site for the rollout. However, only a handful of stories were published out of almost a quarter of a million files. In 2012, Assange's position on Russia appeared to be evolving, as he hosted a show on the Kremlin-funded news network RT and produced episodes interviewing opposition thinkers. Questions about Assange's links to Russia intensified when WikiLeaks failed to publish documents revealing a transaction between the Syrian regime and a Russian bank.
In 2017, CIA director Mike Pompeo called WikiLeaks "a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia". The same year, US Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher visited Assange in prison, offering a pardon from Trump in exchange for a statement that Russia was not involved in the 2016 DNC email leaks.
WikiLeaks has also been accused of helping Edward Snowden seek asylum in Russia. Snowden's decision to travel through Moscow was reportedly made under the advisement of WikiLeaks, and Russian intelligence operatives allegedly collaborated with WikiLeaks to exfiltrate Snowden from Hong Kong to Moscow.
Despite these allegations, there is no definitive evidence that WikiLeaks is directly controlled or infiltrated by Russian intelligence. However, the organisation's actions and associations have raised questions about its relationship with Russia.
Regarding the legality of accessing WikiLeaks in Australia, there is some ambiguity. In 2010, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard stated that the leaking of classified documents via the WikiLeaks website was "illegal". However, the Australian Federal Police later clarified that the release of cables by WikiLeaks breached no Australian laws. While WikiLeaks' activities may not be illegal in Australia, the organisation has faced censorship and attempts to block access to its website in the country.
Exploring Australian Laws: Driving Without Doors
You may want to see also
Explore related products
WikiLeaks' transparency and internal bias
WikiLeaks is a non-profit media organisation and publisher of leaked documents, founded in 2006 by Julian Assange. It has been praised by media and civil society organisations for increasing transparency, assisting freedom of the press, and challenging powerful institutions. WikiLeaks has won several awards, including The Economist's New Media Award in 2008 and Amnesty International's UK Media Award in 2009.
However, WikiLeaks has also faced criticism and allegations of bias and a lack of internal transparency. In 2010, the Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, condemned the organisation's release of classified information as "grossly irresponsible" and "illegal". This statement sparked a debate, with some arguing that WikiLeaks was doing what the media should be doing and exposing government hypocrisy. Others, including news organisations, activists, and journalists, have accused WikiLeaks of anti-Clinton and pro-Trump bias and questioned its internal transparency.
The organisation has also faced technical challenges, with its payment processors and domain names being disrupted. In 2010, the internet payment company Moneybookers closed WikiLeaks' account due to its inclusion on Australian and US blacklists. PayPal also suspended WikiLeaks' account, impacting donations. Additionally, the registrant of the German WikiLeaks domain name, wikileaks.de, faced a raid by authorities.
Despite these challenges, WikiLeaks has continued to publish documents, including "The Intolerance Network" in 2021, exposing right-wing campaigning organisations. The organisation has faced ongoing criticism for its methods, but it remains a notable player in the field of transparency and the publication of leaked documents.
Vaccinated Deaths in Australia: What's the Truth?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, it is not illegal to access WikiLeaks in Australia. While WikiLeaks was added to a government blacklist in Australia in 2010, the Australian Federal Police later stated that the site had broken no Australian laws.
The then-Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, said that she "absolutely condemn[ed]" WikiLeaks' actions, calling the release of information grossly irresponsible and illegal. However, a poll conducted in December 2010 showed that the majority of Australians (59%) supported WikiLeaks' actions in making the cables public.
WikiLeaks has never been blocked in Australia, but it was added to a government blacklist in 2010. This led to the site being blocked by some internet payment companies, such as Moneybookers and PayPal. Additionally, in 2009, WikiLeaks published a list of websites that were reportedly being planned to be banned by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which led to speculation that the WikiLeaks site itself might also be banned. However, this did not occur.
![INSIDE WIKILEAKS - DIE FüNFTE [DVD] [2013]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/716iaeppjaL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
