WikiLeaks, Snowdenand Civil Libertiesvs. Public Security

By Jeff South | Fulbright Scholar | U.S.A.Teaching at Northeast Normal University, Changchun

Whistle-blowingDefinition and historyLaw and ethicsJournalistic considerationsWhat society might doto address these issues

Supporters’ viewMartyrs for public interestHolding institutions accountable

Sacrificing themselves for the public good

Opponents’ view‘Traitors’ or ‘defectors’Deluded, mistaken, unaware of big picture

‘Axe to grind’Personal glory and fameMotivated by greed

Forms of retaliationFired, suspendedDemotedMistreatedSuedTreason!Put in jail

Early historyContinental Congress, 1778U.S. Civil WarTerm coined in 1970sWhistleblower protection laws

But still retaliation occurs

My Lai Massacre1968: Vietnam WarU.S. soldiers killed400-500 villagers

A soldier, Ron Ridenhour, learned about atrocities

Contacted public officials and the press

Ridenhour’s words‘Government institutions’ first response to exposure of corruption and wrongdoing: lie, conceal and cover up. Once an institution has embraced a particular lie, it will forever proclaim its innocence.’

My Lai MassacreLt. William Calley convicted,but served no prison time

Ridenhour became ajournalist; died at 52

Pentagon PapersDaniel EllsbergMilitary analystIn 1971, gave politiciansand journalists a secret Defense Department study about the Vietnam War

‘Pentagon Papers’ case

Pentagon PapersShowed U.S. governmenthad lied about the war

New York Times ran storyU.S. Supreme Court: No ‘prior restraint’

President Nixon outraged;ordered burglary

Ellsberg’s words‘As an American citizen, as a responsible citizen, I could no longer cooperate in concealing this information from the American public. I am prepared to answer to all the consequences of this decision.’

Ellsberg’s fateTurned himself in1973 trialBreak-in and illegalwiretapping revealed

Ellsberg acquitted

WikiLeaksEncourages whistleblowers

WikiLeaksEncourages whistleblowers2010: Collateral Murder

WikiLeaksEncourages whistleblowers2010: Collateral Murder500,000 documents onwars in Afghanistan & Iraq

State Department ‘cables’(working with newspapersin U.S., U.K. and Germany)

Fall-outU.S. investigated AssangeWikiLeak Twitter accountsCut off hosting & donationsBradley/Chelsea Manningconvicted of espionage,but not ‘aiding enemy’

35 years in prison

Manning’s wordsHe leaked cables ‘to show the true cost of war. … I am sorry that my actions hurt people. I am sorry for the unintended consequences of my actions. When I made these decisions I believed I was going to help people, not hurt people.’

Hero or traitor?

Obama: ‘He broke the law’

Edward SnowdenComputer expert for CIA, then defense contractors

Upset over surveillanceby U.S. government

Monitoring Internetand phone communication

Took thousands of files

Edward SnowdenLeaked to Guardianand Washington Post

U.S. charges: espionageNow temporary asylumin Russia

Snowden’s words‘There is a huge difference between legitimate spying and dragnet mass surveillance ... These programs were never about terrorism: they’re about economic spying, social control, and diplomatic manipulation. The public had a right to know about these programs.’

Snowden aftermathObama: Let’s have a debate;Snowden must stand trial

Supporters: Snowden is a hero for exposing NSA

Reporters won awards

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Differences?Ridenhour/Ellsbergvs. Manning/Snowden

In the material they leaked?To whom they leaked it?What they did afterward?

The debateHow to weigh individualliberties vs. public security

Internal controls & trustProtection for whistleblowersHow to assess damageOur digital world:End of privacy?