WikiLeaks, whose organizer, Julian Assange, currently sits in a London prison, and who’s seen their access to some sites restricted and then restored, with many coming to the site’s defense, will soon have whistle-blowing competition according to reports.
Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reports that several individuals who defected from the site following conflicts with Assange, will launch a new site, OpenLeaks, as soon as Monday.
According to the story, those launching the site, including former WikiLeaks staffer Daniel Domscheit-Berg, while supporting the purpose and goals of WikiLeaks, never the less plan on launching OpenLeaks with the following goals in mind:
“Our long term goal is to build a strong, transparent platform to support whistleblowers–both in terms of technology and politics–while at the same time encouraging others to start similar projects,” says a colleague wishing to remain anonymous.
”As a short-term goal, this is about completing the technical infrastructure and ensuring that the organization continues to be democratically governed by all its members, rather than limited to one group or individual.”
From what can be gleaned about OpenLeaks, the site does not intend to publish information solely for the public, opting instead to allow other organizations access to OpenLeaks and do with it what they will. The information on the site will be produced and published by partnering organizations.
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Further, OpenLeaks aims to carve a niche for their site as a neutral party,
”without a political agenda except from the dissemination of information to the media, the public, non-profit organizations, trade- and union organizations and other participating groups.”
Continuing,
“As a result of our intention not to publish any document directly and in our own name, we do not expect to experience the kind of political pressure which WikiLeaks is under at this time. In that aspect, it is quite interesting to see how little of politicians’ anger seems directed at the newspapers using WikiLeaks sources.”
According to Forbes, the project will initially partnered with five newspapers worldwide, but soon expand to anyone who wants to participate.
As for Assange’s opinion of OpenLeaks, Forbes reports he downplayed the notion that OpenLeaks would compete with WikiLeaks, stating. “The supply of leaks is very large. It’s helpful for us to have more people in this industry. It’s protective to us.”
What do you think of OpenLeaks? Is their method of disseminating information more likely to absolve them from some of the criticism received by WikiLeaks? Do you feel OpenLeaks is only the beginning of other organizations launching sites similar to that of WikiLeaks?
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