The WikiLeaks saga has given rise to some interesting analysis. Is Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, justified in leaking what has been classified as sensitive communication between the US State Department and its embassies and consulates around the world? Assange’s position is ‘the disclosures are purely an exercise in democracy, which is partly understood to include embarrassing government officials and exposing what is seen as hypocrisy in national and international politics.” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has rebutted by stating “the publication of classified diplomatic cables constitutes an “attack on the international community. It is an attack on…the alliances and partnerships, the conversations and negotiations that safeguard global security and advance economic prosperity.”

Modernghanna.com used an interesting analogy to describe how a diminutive Australian by the name of Julian Assange has used the Internet to expose the demagogy of the world’s most powerful countries.

“An old African story teaches that the size of the elephant is no guarantee that it is safe from the machinations of small and lesser known animals in the forest. So the tiny ant could find its way into the elephant’s nose, and the elephant would spend days begging the little ant to stop biting.”

One of the WikiLeaks cables targets how the Chinese government orchestrated cyber attacks on search engine giant Google dating back to 2002. Although it has been reported  Google resolved the issue in July to prevent censorship of Chinese search traffic, there is a learning which BU and others have been highlighting for some time. There is a comfort level by mainstream media and others to quote government spokespersons and so-called reputable news services without question.  What should be evident from the WikiLeaks saga is the firm confirmation of how trusted ‘entities’ have abused positions of privilege in the name of maintaining democracy or stoking geopolitcal interest.

In the same way 911 has changed world travel so too WikiLeaks has changed how news and information is given credibility by ordinary citizens. What a mess humankind, the intelligent species of the world now finds itself.