Wikileaks Decides: If The US Gov't Won't Create A Real Shield Law, We'll Shield Journalists Instead

from the technology-to-the-rescue dept

Tue, Oct 13th 2009 3:03am — Mike Masnick

With the US federal gov't continually watering down and limiting any attempt at a federal shield law to help protect journalists from being pressured into revealing their sources, it looks like the site Wikileaks wants to help. It's trying to set up a system, whereby a source can leak information directly to a journalist for a period of time, before Wikileaks goes public with the info. But, either way, Wikileaks promises to protect the source, keeping the journalist separate from the source. While I have no idea if this particular program will actually work, it does show the futility of politicians trying to water down such a shield law. It seems like every time politicians try to do these sorts of things, the internet comes to the rescue with its own solutions.

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Filed Under: journalism, shield law, wikileaks

15 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2009 @ 6:22am

First!
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David T, 13 Oct 2009 @ 6:42am

[Sarcasm]

Clearly this is a subversion of democracy and a clear and present threat. I hope Wikileaks likes it on the Terrorist Watch List...

[/Sarcasm]
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fogbugzd (profile), 13 Oct 2009 @ 7:38am

Defending democracy
This strikes me as a significant act of Jeffersonian principles. It amounts to individuals taking responsibility for protecting freedom when the government fails to do so. I wish them the best of luck and a good defense team.
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NullOp, 13 Oct 2009 @ 7:56am

Gov'ment
Sad it is the protection we need the most is protection from our government!
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James (profile), 13 Oct 2009 @ 8:09am

Internet comes to the rescue? Not for long. People think it is great that the US is "giving up" control over the internet. What our governement is "giving up" is having to deal with US law over issues like spying on email and other stuff. better to give it up to the UN who will then allow the governements of the world to do whatver they like in the name of "law inforcement". Just like this pesky "bill of rights". better to give and international police for jurisdiction in all countries of the world. Sorry chaps, feel like your rights were violated? the constutution of the US only protects you from the US government. Not the UN and not INTERPOL.
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Davis Freeberg, 13 Oct 2009 @ 8:52am

Straw Man
The issue isn't about stripping journalists of their rights or discouraging members of the public from sharing evidence of a crime with the press, it's about preventing people from refusing to cooperate in police investigations by claiming that their Twitter account gives them a shield. There will still be plenty of journalists that people can leak to as well, they just won't be able to clam up if they spill the beans on a public forum.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2009 @ 9:04am

All Wikileaks is doing is putting itself in the middle. Instead of the journalist getting sued to reveal sources, the folks running wikileaks will end up with the problem.

I would say that they are being fools.
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Jon B., 13 Oct 2009 @ 10:27am

Re: Gov'ment
That's not sad or new. The US was built on the principle that the protection we need most is protection from government. The sad part is that lately as a people we've moved away from that thought.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2009 @ 3:51pm

Re: Straw Man
The issue isn't about stripping journalists of their rights or discouraging members of the public from sharing evidence of a crime with the press,...

Err, in many cases that is exactly what may happen.

...it's about preventing people from refusing to cooperate in police investigations....

And journalists ARE people.

...by claiming that their Twitter account gives them a shield.

I find your claim that it would only apply to Twitter accounts to be deceptive. In fact, the law doesn't even mention Twitter. Talk about straw men. Oh well, I give you credit for at least being honest enough to disclose "Straw Man" in your subject line.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2009 @ 3:58pm

Re:
I would say that they are being fools.

Some people are willing to go out on a limb and risk their own personal interests for the sake of doing good in the world. Some people can't understand why anyone would do anything other than what's in their own best interest and call those who would "fools".
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2009 @ 7:21pm

John 8:32
You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
-- John 8:32
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Oct 2009 @ 11:10pm

Re: Straw Man
"There will still be plenty of journalists that people can leak to as well"

Journalists who would either

A: Censor it

B: Report it and make it their intellectual property.

No thanks. The laws should allow me to communicate it directly to the public, anonymously, without making it anyone's intellectual property. PERIOD.
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Allan Masri (profile), 14 Oct 2009 @ 9:39am

RE RE Straw Man
Absolutely true, anonymous coward. Furthermore, most governmental leaks occur at the top levels because a company or a government wants to leak information favorable to itself. Since those leakers are high-level guys, they will never be the targets of lawsuits. Genuine whistleblowers need protection from their bosses.
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Terrence, 22 Oct 2009 @ 12:14am

mls search
Nice comment
Terrence
mls search
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Terrence, 22 Oct 2009 @ 12:16am

Re: mls search
Thanks for paritcipate.
Terrence
mls search
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