Topic: Technology/Civil Rights
Title: Amazon Bows To US Censorship Pressure: Refuses To Host Wikileaks
Publication Name: Amazon takes action against Wikileaks. Writer: Mike Masnick
Date of Publiction: 12/1/10 Words: 1000
- Main Ideas: Amazon has officially denied hosting the WikiLeaks website. The site, “WikiLeaks” has been a hot topic in the media because the site has allegedly been releasing “secret information” which could affect “national security”. In reality the site is realizing articles that are well within public domain. WikiLeaks shares articles, which discuss government and military mishaps, which is not illegal. Many officials however, feel that this is a threat to national security, and are looking for a way to extend the espionage act, to ban WikiLeaks off of the web. In the meantime, more traditional ways of censorship are being used to block the site. Senator Bill Lieberman is the main voice in the expansion of the espionage act in order to ban WikiLeaks. Senator Lieberman was quoted saying “…this site is a definite threat to both the white house, and the military. They are releasing misguiding and often false information about the U.S. government, which should be deemed unconstitutional. As of now the WikiLeaks site is public domain and is protected by the 1st Amendment, but officials say that until a ban can pass through congress and the senate, the only way to combat this site is to put pressure on those sites which support it. Amazon dumped WikiLeaks after much pressure from the government, and it seems many other search engines are soon to follow.
- Conclusion: WikiLeaks is not violating any laws. Although they do provide articles, which are often misleading and may not portray the U.S. government and military in good light, they still have a right to express their opinion under freedom of speech. However, the espionage act, if amended to deal with WikiLeaks, does have a right to censor what the country deems as a threat to national security. The government sees WikiLeaks as a fountain of doubt and mistrust, which would affect the minds of many American citizens. In these hard times, officials don’t want Americans to lost any more trust in the government, and therefore banning WikiLeaks seems essential.
Its interesting that we feel the right that we should be able to see this, because of our first amendment. Which by all means is how we should feel. But I also agree with what the government is doing. They are trying to keep us happy with them. In these hard times, like you said, it is easy for us to hate the government, and they are trying to keep us happy. Like in the Great Depression, how common people started getting mad, and started to believe in communism. Maybe a common ground? Where we still keep our 1st amendment rights, and they feel that we are not going to go into and out rage. Its a tough one to think about.
ReplyDeleteThere's no doubt that we should know most of the information that wikileaks leaked. But they have leaked classified information on underground lines, and sensitive things vital for the protection of the United States. (Mostly Military things) It gives terrorists pretty much a map of where the military is most vulnerable, and where those things are located. And because of that the government should act on wiki leaks.
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