Two weeks ago, Wikileaks stunned the world by releasing a series of cables revealing the inner workings of international diplomacy. Many government officials (both here in America and around the world) have denounced Wikileaks as an organization, yet the actual information leaked has not been refuted. Many in mainstream media have framed Wikileaks as the work of one man, Julian Assange, and on that cue, extensively documented the ongoing investigations of Assange on unrelated criminal matters.
In comparison, little has been said of the vast implications Wikileaks represent of an emerging digital world where people are increasingly taking advantage of the accessibility of the internet to gather and disseminate information. As a result of Wikileaks, ideas like “public interest” and “citizen engagement,” are being re-evaluated by individuals around the world from every tier of power: executive leaders, community organizers, voting and non-voting citizens, alike.
The Public i, an independent editorial newspaper of Champaign-Urbana, produced by the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, is looking for ideas and opinions about Wikileaks. If you (or someone you know) may be interested in writing and expressing what Wikileaks means to you (in whatever capacity that may be), please email me (Kristina) at [email protected]. Thanks!