Opinion Politics Technology Terrorism twitter

Twitter refuses to deal with the Wikileaks problem

By Joe Brooks

(WIREUPDATE) — In the coming weeks and months Twitter will need to answer why it has continued to allow WikiLeaks, the international so-called journalism organization that specializes in releasing classified documents, to use its service to spread those illegally obtained files.

In a recent US Army intelligence report the government warned Twitter could be means for terrorists to communicate among each other. The document, which was obtained by Mashable, gave three scenarios for how Twitter could be used to promote terror world-wide. The first scenario involved terrorist spreading information to others to help facilitate attacks against military targets.

Several US Congressmen including Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Congressman Peter King (R-NY) have raised concerns regarding the existence of WikiLeaks and the national security risks it poses both abroad and here in the United States. King has even gone as far as wanting the website labeled as a Terror Organization.

On November 28, 2010 in a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Congressman Peter King (R-NY) recommended that WikiLeaks be classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization for what King perceived as terrorist activities in the obtaining and releasing of classified military documents. “By the sheer volume of the classified materials released,” King wrote “rendering harm to the United States seems inevitable and perhaps irreversible.”

“The Department of Defense has already recognized that WikiLeaks’ dissemination of classified U.S. military and diplomatic documents affords material support to terrorist organizations, including Al Qaeda, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al Shabaab, and Hezbollah,” King reasoned.

On December 1st, 2010 Amazon.com kicked WikiLeaks off their premium hosting service. The decision to kick off WikiLeaks website from its services came after U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman questioned the relationship between Amazon and the controversial site. Lieberman added that committee staff contacted Amazon on Tuesday demanding an explanation.

“The company’s decision to cut off WikiLeaks now is the right decision and should set the standard for other companies WikiLeaks is using to distribute its illegally seized material,” said the Senator after knowing Amazon’s action. “I call on any other company or organization that is hosting WikiLeaks to immediately terminate its relationship with them.”

In response, WikiLeaks posted on its Twitter account that if Amazon does not want to do business with them, the organization will instead spend its money in European countries. The site also criticized the lack of free speech in the so-called land of the free.

Twitter’s own Terms of Service state, “You may use the Services only in compliance with these Terms and all applicable local, state, national, and international laws, rules and regulations.”

Twitter is turning a blind eye by continuing to allow WikiLeaks to use the service as a means of communication and spreading the documents they illegally obtained.

“WikiLeaks’ illegal, outrageous, and reckless acts have compromised our national security and put lives at risk around the world. No responsible company – whether American or foreign – should assist WikiLeaks in its efforts to disseminate these stolen materials,” said Sen. Lieberman.

We’ve made numerous attempts to get a comment from Twitter about WikiLeaks’ usage of their social network. Needless to say, our e-mail box has remained empty.

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010 at 11:19 pm | Joe Brooks | 31 Comments

http://twitoaster.com/country-us/wireupdate/ WireUpdate

Twitter refuses to deal with the Wikileaks problem – http://wireupdate.com/wires/12936/twitte...
bazmeister

RT @WireUpdate: Twitter refuses to deal with the Wikileaks problem – http://wireupdate.com/wires/12936/twitte...
VFWd

R @WireUpdate Twitter refuses to deal with the Wikileaks problem http://wireupdate.com/wires/12936/twitte... < #Twitter doing the right thing;good
Dennis

This site appears to be anti-Wikileaks and anti-Twitter.
Does that mean it’s anti free speech?
I’m not impressed.
les4lb

RT @WireUpdate: Twitter refuses to deal with the Wikileaks problem – http://wireupdate.com/wires/12936/twitte...
Joe Brooks

We are not anti-free speech. Twitter allowing WikiLeaks to continue to use its service to spread illegally acquired documents is a serious issue. Amazon already caved due to pressure and no one is focusing on Wikileaks’ Twitter stream. I have asked Twitter what happens if WikiLeaks is categorized as a Terrorist Organization as been suggested by several congress members. They haven’t responded to my emails.
tony dacey

Wow, i believe what wikileaks is doing is right, Does that make me a terrorist, America censors more news to its people than china does, so if im a terrorist because i believe in freedom of speech does that make Americans communists because the people of America have no choice in what they can read or say Lucky im a Aussie
livegreenordie

RT @WireUpdate: Twitter refuses to deal with the Wikileaks problem – http://wireupdate.com/wires/12936/twitte...
Joe Brooks

There is a difference between Freedom of Speech and committing a crime. Many on Twitter have been arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced for suggesting harm to the President. They certainly have the “free speech” to say those things, but there is a consequence to committing a crime.
http://wlcentral.org x7o

This is hyperbolic nonsense.

This material has been published by international newspapers. The New York Times, Der Spiegel, The Guardian, Le Monde, El Pais.

Media companies like Al Jazeera, SVG and Channel 4 have been given embargo access.

Is Twitter supposed to crack down on the fact that links to those articles have been posted on Twitter by Twitter users, since that material reports the content and contains content, from “illegally acquired” material.

There is no law against what Wikileaks is doing. The only legal transgression was at the source, when somebody decided to break his/her oath in order to disclose the information.

Furthermore, even if laws had been broken, given the substance of this information, I find it quite repulsive that a site that refers to itself as a news site would take a position that the free publication of information that exposes systemic criminal activity within a national government is something that should be suppressed by media companies.

This is the most servile and repugnant sort of regime apologism I’ve seen in my life. The great pity is that yours is just a fringe example of a huge phenomenon.
http://wlcentral.org x7o

But then, what should we expect from someone that wrote this:

http://wireupdate.com/wires/12910/coincidence-wikileaks-and-world-without-zionism-logos-are-strikingly-similiar/
paranoid

This paranoid behaviour won’t stop ppl to leak information. You can play the game that truthseekers have prepared for you or you can get back to yourselves to clean up your own view on democracy.

Do you really want to live in a country that dictates the government’s ideology into your brains? What exactly of the information is causing deaths of innocent people?

It more seems like US did danger to the world, doesn’t it? So why aren’t you hunting your own criminals in politics and business instead of some people who are giving you the full blow of your darkest secrets?

As far as I understand Wikileaks, it is meant to publish any information that is worth to publish globally. Before the newest leaks, even the White House officially supported the findings on Iraq.

BTW.. Do you remember Obamas speeches about “Change”? Despite his demonstrated anger in public you should also think about how much he may know about the whole plot. It could be the only possible way to get rid of old and massively corrupted structures… for a promised change to peaceful world.
http://mlokit.wordpress.com marie

Just voted on that logo thing… redicilous!
Are the logos related?
Absolutely, Wikileaks is about the destruction of the West (50%, 28 Votes)
No, This is just a wacky conspiracy. Wikileaks is peaceful and means no harm. (50%, 28 Votes)
Total Voters: 56
http://changes.dyndns.info matthew

I personally am for a free world that is free of bull
We deal with now .

The leaks are a service to the world
http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/ President Umbongo

Wikileaks is a God send,People will cry and complain while being butt-hurt al over it. Get over it.

Freedom for everyone!!!!
I love wikileaks,finally we see into the real world.
Mr 5minute Egg

Are the logos related?

I was using a device this morning when boiling my egg that resembles the Wikileaks logo, wonder if that makes me a traitor as well? May have to trow away my hourglass and buy a stopwatch, to avoid being classified as a terrorist

[Post edited by Admin to remove disparaging remarks about Admin]
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/11/30/noam_chomsky_wikileaks_cables_reveal_profound Jerry

“One of the major reasons for government secrecy is to protect the government from its own population.” – Noam Chomsky on WikiLeaks

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/11/30/noam_chomsky_wikileaks_cables_reveal_profound

Support Wikileaks, support freedom.

[Post edited by Admin to remove disparaging remarks about Admin]
kajleers

RT @WireUpdate: Twitter refuses to deal with the Wikileaks problem – http://wireupdate.com/wires/12936/twitte...
JoostvdWegen

RT @WireUpdate: Twitter refuses to deal with the Wikileaks problem – http://wireupdate.com/wires/12936/twitte...
Exxoff

Can you label the better part of US Congress and senate as terrorist organisations?

That would probably be the best way to save the world…
http://twitter.com/tigerbeat Steve Rhodes

By your twisted logic, twitter should also delete the accounts of the NY Times, the Guardian, & other media organizations which are publishing the cables.

And Wikileaks is a journalism organization. It collaborates with major media organizations. It hires journalists & publishes their work. It is protected by the first amendment regardless of what Peter King (who supported IRA for years without any qualms about their terrorism) says about them.
http://www.thealter.net TheAlterNet

This article is completely based upon opinion and not facts. There has not been anything posted on twitter that would be regarded as against the law. Nor has anything WikiLeaks has done been against the law. Here is a very good article about the law with regards to CableGate…

http://wlcentral.org/node/425

TheAlternet – Think outside the box
Joe Brooks

I believe you mean this article is opinion based on facts, as it is clearly filed as such.
http://asecular.com Judas Gutenberg

i’m sure iran would be gladdened if there were a precedent set with the successful classification of twitter as “terrorist” — much as they were cheered by the bush administration’s mainstreaming of torture as a legitimate tool of statecraft.
FMM

Does the author of this article know that he’s a RETARD?
http://east33rd.tumblr.com east33rd.tumblr

Understand how WIkileaks is working with the media. They have only released cables about what major news orgs have first printed themselves, and those cables have been redacted in collaboration with the news orgs. If you’re against Wikileaks, you’re against the NYT, Guardian, Le Monde, El Pais, etc. Spread this message wide — it’s essential to counter people’s legitimate fears about whether this can be done responsibly.

AP: Respected media outlets collaborate with #WikiLeaks: http://is.gd/i8EuS #savewikileaks #cablegate
http://internet.segnalafeed.com/twitter-refuses-to-deal-with-the-wikileaks-problem-%c2%bb-breaking-news/ Twitter refuses to deal with the Wikileaks problem » Breaking News … | Internet News

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http://www.anon.com Anon

If this site is so mad at Twitter, why are you still supporting the service by including their share button on this page?

Walk the walk and stop using them, if you’ve got the guts. You seem think they’re criminals, so why continue to use their service?
http://www.sitebyjames.com/ james

There is nothing about the wikileaks account which is a threat to national security.

If it were, the most logical thing would be to ask Twitter, Google, Facebook and everyone else to censor or redirect the links that might be pointing to the offensive materials.

Twitter is 140 Characters. The Twitter page itself is hardly a threat to national security.
Whispering Jack

Your blog post is breathtaking in its ignorance of basic law. The comment from x70 sums it up perfectly:

There is no law against what Wikileaks is doing. The only legal transgression was at the source, when somebody decided to break his/her oath in order to disclose the information.

Your blog post is also breathtaking in its hypocrisy. You rely on a LEAKED US Army Intelligence report (“leaked to” not merely “obtained by” Mashable) to help build your case. Hellooooo?

The blatant misreporting and censorship of Wikileaks is now almost a bigger topic than the release of the material itself. Twitter itself is already censoring Wikileaks from its worldwide trending topics, sparking a huge user backlash. As Ron Paul has said “in a society where truth becomes treason, we are in big trouble.”
asa

deleting twitter from my pc… GONE