WikiLeaks government secrets
WikiLeaks.org, is developing an uncensorable, untraceable Wikipedia designed for the leaking of sensitive documents. The aim is to provide an outlet for people in oppressive regimes (the Middle East, former Soviet republics, Asia and the Sub-Saharan Africa) who risk much more in calling attention to injustice, as well as those trying to uncover corruption in their own governments and corporations. As with Wikipedia, people can interpret and explain posted documents, thereby providing a secure (?) forum for discussion and dissension. According to their website, they have over a million documents already. The idea behind WikiLeaks is that close scrutiny makes government function better, people are more honest when they think they are being watched. Of course, while it wants to facilitate ethical leaking, as with Wikipedia on whose engine it runs, there is no way other than consensus to tell if a document is legitimate. But then again, what we call history, we call so by consensus. For security, WikiLeaks will be using an anonymous protocol known as The Onion Router (Tor), which uses cryptography and rerouting through a network of servers to hide the origin of a message. According to experts, there are still security risks, ones that could have terrifying consequences should the site be hacked, entire groups compromised. For better or worse, WikiLeaks could be a powerful tool for freedom of speech worldwide. It is scheduled to launch in February. [From their homepage:] "Three things can not hide for long: the Moon, the Sun and the Truth" – Siddhartha
WikiLeaks.org
How to leak a secret and not get caught, NewScientist.com