Have you seen the website Wikileaks? People from all over the world can post documents that governments, businesses, and the like do not want public. A bunch of embarrassing documents about the Scientology religion have been posted. Scientology, Inc., has sued, as is their wont, but the court upheld what the site is doing.
The site is a “wiki,” which means its readers put it together. Anyone can post any document on the site, without identification and fear of reprisal. It exists in many different languages, and its biggest use seems to be from people in small countries living under corrupt and oppressive regimes posting documents that expose the evils they live under.
Wikileaks is a remarkable example of the freedom of information that the internet makes possible. Is this a good thing, or is its damage to private and confidential communication that institutions arguably need sometimes too harmful?
HT: Nathan Martin
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