Wikileaks Rival Openleaks Trying To Protect Source, Self, Publisher
By Robert Hensley on December 15, 2010, 4:49 pm
There is no doubt that there is a value to the whistleblower organizations like Wikileaks that exist. In many instances they help to stop potential injustices, and ignored humanitarian crimes…but the Wikileaks organization went too far, led by Assange alone making the decisions. His recently defected staff has seen fit to start their own group to facilitate these types of disclosures, but this time, many believe, they have protected everyone concerned. Here’s how they are going to go about it.
No Contact Between Source And Publisher
OpenLeaks will not publish any documents per se’. Instead, their plan is to operate as an online storage area, or mail-box, they have created an infrastructure that will deliver the documents securely and completely anonymously directly into the hands of the journalists and other outlets, like human rights organizations, labor unions, and other non-governmental oversight groups, that elect to participate. The source won’t be able to submit any documents directly using the OpenLeaks website. Instead, their media outlets and others that participate, will have the ability to include links on their websites for submissions that will be delivered through the OpenLeaks architecture.
Similar To Previous Plan
WikiLeaks had sought $530,000 from the Knight Foundation News Challenge grant in 2009 on a similar plan, but was refused. One major difference in the present Openleaks plan and the proposal is that the Wikileaks proposal was on a small local scale, and a time limit was to be imposed. OpenLeaks plans to expand this concept beyond local newspapers and will give the recipient an unspecified amount of time to research the document and write a story.
Protect Everyone Including Themselves
Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said the setup would make OpenLeaks more of an internet service provider than a publisher. She said “They obviously have good lawyers who have told them that this is the way to do it to avoid liability.” The organization’s structure means it will be a more silent partner in the distribution of leaks, not using the leaks to further personal political agendas, which Assange has been accused of doing with his organization.