WikiLeaks

Anonymous warns NATO not to challenge it

Responding to a recent report from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization condemning Anonymous, the online "hacktivist" group has issued a public response warning the global organization not to challenge it.

Claiming that the NATO report singled it out as a threat to "government and the people," Anonymous defended some of its recent actions in the name of freedom and dissent. In its message (Google cached version), it also asserted that NATO fears the group not because it's a "threat to society," but because it's a "threat to the established hierarchy."… Read more

Assange: Facebook is an 'appalling spy machine'

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says Facebook, Google, and Yahoo are actually tools for the U.S. intelligence community.

Speaking to Russian news site RT in an interview published yesterday, Assange was especially critical of the world's top social network. He reportedly said that the information Facebook houses is a potential boon for the U.S. government if it tries to build up a dossier on users.

"Facebook in particular is the most appalling spying machine that has ever been invented," Assange said in the interview, which was videotaped and published on the site. "Here we have … Read more

U.S. nuclear regulator a policeman or salesman?

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission exists to police, not promote, the domestic nuclear industry--but diplomatic cables show that it is sometimes used as a sales tool to help push American technology to foreign governments.

The cables, obtained by WikiLeaks and provided to Reuters by a third party, shed light on the way in which U.S. embassies have pulled in the NRC when lobbying for the purchase of equipment made by Westinghouse and other domestic manufacturers.

While the use of diplomats to further American commercial interests is nothing new, it is far less common for regulators to be acting in even … Read more

DOJ defends WikiLeaks probe of Twitter accounts

The U.S. Justice Department today dismissed as "absurd" any privacy and free speech concerns about its request for access to the Twitter accounts of WikiLeaks volunteers.

In a 32-page brief filed in federal court in Virginia, prosecutors characterized their request for a court order as a "routine compelled disclosure" that raises no constitutional issues.

These types of records "are widely subpoenaed by grand juries without raising 'chilling effects,' or occasioning constitutional litigation and delays," prosecutors wrote. Any claim that Twitter's logs "are subject to heightened protections under the First Amendment is … Read more

Reminder: CNET hosting WikiLeaks panel tonight

We've mentioned this before, but a reminder can't hurt: If you're in the San Francisco area, feel free to stop by a WikiLeaks discussion we're hosting at CNET headquarters this evening.

It's organized by the Society of Professional Journalists-Northern California and on the first floor of our building at 235 Second Street (between Howard and Folsom Streets). That's about two blocks from BART and about a 15 minute walk from Caltrain.

Here are the panelists, including yours truly:

* Declan McCullagh, chief political correspondent, CNET * Caille Millner, San Francisco Chronicle * Evan Hansen, editor-in-chief, Wired.com * … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1414: Will Verizon doom the Xoom? (podcast)

Donald Bell joins us today to show off the Xoom in the flesh ... and yes, it's gorgeous, but is Verizon going to ruin it with high carrier prices and contracts? Molly lays down some shocking advice. Also, the new MacBook Pros have Light Peak, called Thunderbolt, Breakup Notifier gets the cold shoulder from Facebook, and the loosest adaptation of a true story we've ever heard. Good try, Battle L.A.

WikiLeaks, Assange feel the heat (roundup)

Whistle-blower site continues to face heavy criticism and repercussions for publishing extensive details of U.S. military and diplomatic activity. Controversial editor Julian Assange, meanwhile, confronts his own challenges in court.

Assange can be extradited to Sweden U.K. judge approves extradition of WikiLeaks founder to Sweden to face questioning over sexual assault and rape allegations. Assange has a week to appeal. Witness: Assange's version of events needed to be heard Assange extradition hearing kicks off in London (Posted in Politics and Law by Tom Espiner) February 24, 2011 3:38 AM PT

WikiLeaks hearing set in dispute over Twitter data … Read more

Julian Assange can be extradited to Sweden

Julian Assange can be extradited to Sweden for interrogation by prosecutors looking into sex crime allegations against the WikiLeaks editor, a U.K. judge has ruled.

At Belmarsh Magistrates Court in London today, chief magistrate Howard Riddle said that defense arguments had not convinced him to deny the Swedish authorities' request to issue a European arrest warrant (EAW) against Assange.

"I must order that Mr. Assange be extradited to Sweden," said Riddle. "Mr. Assange has seven days to appeal the decision."

After the ruling (PDF), Assange's supporters told ZDNet UK that there will be an appeal. … Read more

Clinton speech pushes for Internet freedom

With freedom--both in the real world and online--much in the news lately, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a speech in Washington, D.C., yesterday that cautioned nations that try to block the Internet and other vital services as a way of stifling their citizens.

In her address at George Washington University on Internet freedom, Clinton pointed out that Egypt's efforts to control the protests of its citizens by cutting their lines of communication ultimately failed. Instead, people continued to protest, the government turned the Internet back on, and in the end, former President Hosni Mubarak was forced to … Read more

WikiLeaks hearing set in dispute over Twitter data

A federal judge in Virginia has set a hearing for next week in a high-profile case that will decide whether the U.S. Justice Department can obtain records about the Twitter accounts used by WikiLeaks activists.

The hearing, scheduled for February 15 in Alexandra, Va., is expected to focus on whether the Justice Department has the legal justification for its request for the account details, and whether the almost-entirely-secret court records in this case should be made available for public viewing.

As CNET previously reported, federal prosecutors obtained a court order directing Twitter to turn over information about the accounts … Read more