View source for WikiLeaks

{{about|the website and organisation|the Australian political party|The Wikileaks Party}}
{{hatnote|Note that WikiLeaks has [[Wikipedia:WikiLeaks is not part of Wikipedia|no connection]] whatsoever to [[Wikipedia]] or its parent, the [[Wikimedia Foundation]], which operates the encyclopedia.}}
{{very long|date=October 2013}}
{{pp-pc1}}
{{use British English|date=December 2010}}
{{Infobox website
| name         = WikiLeaks
| logo         = [[File:Wikileaks logo.svg|80px|Graphic of hourglass, coloured in blue and gray; a circular map of the eastern hemisphere of the world drips from the top to bottom chamber of the hourglass.]]
| logocaption  = The logo of WikiLeaks, an [[hourglass]] with one [[globe]] leaking to the second
| screenshot   = [[File:WikiLeaks homepage screenshot.png|border|300px|WikiLeaks homepage screenshot]]
| collapsible  = yes
| caption      = Screenshot of WikiLeaks' [[Home page|main page]]
| url          = {{URL|https://wikileaks.org/|WikiLeaks.org}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/|title=Wikileaks Mirrors |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=24 August 2012 |accessdate=11 October 2012 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6BKUgc2Qs |archivedate=11 October 2012 |deadurl=no}}</ref>{{ref|alt_domains|a}}
| slogan       = We open governments.<ref>{{cite web|title=WikiLeaks' official twitter account|url=https://twitter.com/wikileaks| archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5rW7eYJFk | archivedate = 2010-07-26| deadurl=no}}</ref>
| commercial   = No<ref name="about">{{cite web |url=http://www.wikileaks.org/About.html |title=About |publisher=WikiLeaks |accessdate=11 October 2012 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6BKUgyMIN |archivedate=11 October 2012 |deadurl=no}}</ref>
| type         = [[Archive|Document archive]] and [[Whistleblowing|disclosure]]
| registration = None
| language     = [[English language|English]], but the documents are written in various others
| num_users    =
| content license =
| owner           = Sunshine Press
| author          = [[Julian Assange]]
| launch date     = {{Start date and age|2006|10|04|df=yes}}<ref name=whois/>
| awards          = {{Plainlist|
* [[Index on Censorship#Freedom of Expression Awards|Economist Freedom of Expression Award]] (2008)
* [[Amnesty International UK Media Awards|Amnesty International UK Media Award]] (2009)
* [[Sam Adams Award]] (2010)
}}
| alexa           = {{IncreaseNegative}} 21,653 ({{as of|2015|02|11|alt=February 2015}})<ref name="alexa">{{cite web|url= http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/wikileaks.org |title= Wikileaks.org Site Info | publisher= [[Alexa Internet]] |accessdate= 2014-04-01 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20111204145837/http://www.alexa.com:80/siteinfo/wikileaks.org | archivedate = 2011-12-04| deadurl=yes}}</ref><!--Updated monthly by OKBot.-->
| current status  = Online
}}

'''WikiLeaks''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ɪ|k|i|l|iː|k|s}} is an international, [[non-profit]],<ref name=about/> journalistic<ref>{{cite web|author=<!-- Byline --> By David Dishneau The Associated Press |url=http://www.armytimes.com/article/20130710/NEWS06/307100012/Harvard-prof-may-defense-s-last-witness-WikiLeaks-trial |title=Harvard prof may be defense's last witness at WikiLeaks trial &#124; Army Times |publisher=armytimes.com |date= |accessdate=2014-03-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=curmudgeonvt |url=http://news.antiwar.com/2013/07/10/pentagon-agreed-wikileaks-a-journalistic-outlet/ |title=Pentagon Agreed: WikiLeaks a Journalistic Outlet - News from Antiwar.com |publisher=News.antiwar.com |date=2013-07-10 |accessdate=2014-03-02| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140422111522/http://news.antiwar.com/2013/07/10/pentagon-agreed-wikileaks-a-journalistic-outlet/ | archivedate = 2014-04-22| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alliance.org.au/global-journalists-union-supports-wikileaks |title=Global journalists' union supports Wikileaks |publisher=Alliance.org.au |date=2013-07-16 |accessdate=2014-03-02| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131231025031/http://www.alliance.org.au/global-journalists-union-supports-wikileaks | archivedate = 2013-12-31| deadurl=no}}</ref> organi<!--This article uses British English, do not change "organisation" to "organization", you will be reverted:-->sation which publishes secret information, [[news leak]]s,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ifla.org/publications/what-is-the-effect-of-wikileaks-for-freedom-of-information |title=What is the effect of WikiLeaks for Freedom of Information? |last=Karhula |first=Päivikki |date= 5 October 2012 |publisher=International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions |accessdate=11 October 2012 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6BKVqfIyO |archivedate=11 October 2012 |deadurl=no}}</ref> and classified media from anonymous [[Journalism sourcing|sources]].<ref name=about/><ref>{{cite news|last=Editors |first=The |url=http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/w/wikileaks/ |title=WikiLeaks – The New York Times |publisher=Topics.nytimes.com |date=16 August 2012 |accessdate=24 August 2012 }}</ref> Its [[website]], initiated in 2006 in [[Iceland]] by the organization Sunshine Press,<ref>{{cite web |last=Chatriwala |first=Omar |title=WikiLeaks vs the Pentagon |url=http://blogs.aljazeera.com/blog/americas/wikileaks-vs-pentagon |work=Al Jazeera blog |date=5 April 2010 |accessdate=27 January 2011| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209163305/http://blogs.aljazeera.com/blog/americas/wikileaks-vs-pentagon | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref> claimed a database of more than 1.2&nbsp;million documents within a year of its launch.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:About#Wikileaks_has_1.2_million_documents.3F |title=Wikileaks has 1.2&nbsp;million documents? |work=WikiLeaks |accessdate=28 February 2008 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080216000537/http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:About#Wikileaks_has_1.2_million_documents.3F |archivedate = 16 February 2008}}</ref> [[Julian Assange]], an [[Australia]]n [[internet activism|Internet activist]], is generally described as its founder, editor-in-chief, and director.<ref name="McGreal">{{cite news |last=McGreal |first=Chris |title=Wikileaks reveals video showing US air crew shooting down Iraqi civilians |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/05/wikileaks-us-army-iraq-attack |accessdate=15 December 2010 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=5 April 2010 |place=London | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110626230310/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/05/wikileaks-us-army-iraq-attack | archivedate = 2011-06-26| deadurl=no}}</ref> [[Kristinn Hrafnsson]], Joseph Farrell, and [[Sarah Harrison (journalist)|Sarah Harrison]] are the only other publicly known and acknowledged associates of Julian Assange.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mostrous |first= Alexi|date=4 August 2011 |url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/life/article3114254.ece |title=He came for a week and stayed a year|place=London |work=The Times |archiveurl=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/article3114254.ece |archivedate=4 August 2012}}{{subscription required}}</ref> Hrafnsson is also a member of Sunshine Press Productions along with Assange, Ingi Ragnar Ingason, and Gavin MacFadyen.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.techeye.net/internet/wikileaks-sets-up-shop-in-iceland |title=Wikileaks sets up shop in Iceland – Heated pavements far nicer than Gitmo  TechEye | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140210200145/http://news.techeye.net/internet/wikileaks-sets-up-shop-in-iceland | archivedate = 2014-02-10| deadurl=no}}. News.techeye.net (15 November 2010). Retrieved 22 November 2011.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/11/13/wikileaks-starts-company-in-icelandic-apartment/ |title=Wikileaks starts company in Icelandic apartment  IceNews – Daily News | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101122222226/http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/11/13/wikileaks-starts-company-in-icelandic-apartment/ | archivedate = 2010-11-22| deadurl=no}}. Icenews.is (13 November 2010). Retrieved 22 November 2011. WikiLeaks is not and never has been affiliated with the well-known website Wikipedia or Wikipedia's parent organization, the Wikimedia Foundation.</ref>

The group has released a number of significant documents which have become front-page news items. Early releases included documentation of equipment expenditures and holdings in the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghanistan war]] and a report informing a corruption investigation in [[Kenya]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Channing, Joseph |title=Wikileaks Releases Secret Report on Military Equipment |url=http://www.nysun.com/foreign/wikileaks-releases-secret-report-on-military/62236/ |work=The New York Sun |date=9 September 2007 |accessdate=28 February 2008 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140221133936/http://www.nysun.com/foreign/wikileaks-releases-secret-report-on-military/62236/ | archivedate = 2014-02-21| deadurl=no}}</ref> In April 2010, WikiLeaks published gunsight footage from the [[12 July 2007 Baghdad airstrike]] in which Iraqi journalists were among those killed by an [[AH-64 Apache]] helicopter, known as the ''[[Collateral Murder#Leaked video footage|Collateral Murder]]'' video. In July of the same year, WikiLeaks released [[Afghan War Diary]], a compilation of more than 76,900 documents about the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]] not previously available to the public.<ref name="AssociatedPressNews">{{cite news |title=WikiLeaks to publish new documents |agency=Associated Press| date=7 August 2010 |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38606166/ns/us_news-security/ |work=MSNBC |accessdate=5 December 2010 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5ukvPaEhj |archivedate=5 December 2010}}</ref> In October 2010, the group released a set of almost 400,000 documents called the "[[Iraq War Logs]]" in coordination with major commercial media organisations. This allowed the mapping of 109,032 deaths in "significant" attacks by insurgents in Iraq that had been reported to [[Multi-National Force – Iraq]], including about 15,000 that had not been [[Iraq Body Count project|previously published]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/oct/23/wikileaks-iraq-data-journalism |title=Wikileaks Iraq: data journalism maps every death |author=Rogers, Simon |work=The Guardian |place=London |date=23 October 2010 |accessdate=26 July 2012 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110107113804/http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/oct/23/wikileaks-iraq-data-journalism | archivedate = 2011-01-07| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/oct/25/wikileaks-iraq-data |title=Wikileaks Iraq: what's wrong with the data? |author=Rogers, Simon |work=The Guardian |place=London |date=25 October 2010 |accessdate=26 July 2012 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130609222435/http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/oct/25/wikileaks-iraq-data | archivedate = 2013-06-09| deadurl=no}}</ref> In April 2011, WikiLeaks began publishing [[Guantanamo Bay files leak|779 secret files]] relating to prisoners detained in the [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/25/guantanamo-files-lift-lid-prison |title=Guantánamo files lift lid on world's most controversial prison |author=Leigh, David; Ball, James; Burke, Jason |work=The Guardian |place=London |date=25 April 2011 |accessdate=25 April 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110626230514/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/25/guantanamo-files-lift-lid-prison | archivedate = 2011-06-26| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In November 2010, WikiLeaks collaborated with major global media organisations to release [[United States diplomatic cables leak|U.S. State department diplomatic "cables"]] in redacted format. On 1 September 2011, it became public that an encrypted version of WikiLeaks' huge archive of unredacted U.S. State Department cables had been available via [[BitTorrent]] for months and that the decryption key (similar to a password) was available to those who knew where to find it. WikiLeaks blamed the breach on its former publication partner, the UK newspaper ''[[The Guardian]]'', and that newspaper's journalist [[David Leigh (journalist)|David Leigh]], who revealed the key in a book published in February 2011;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/Guardian-journalist-negligently.html |title=Guardian journalist negligently disclosed Cablegate passwords | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140407085721/https://wikileaks.org/Guardian-journalist-negligently.html | archivedate = 2014-04-07| deadurl=no}}. Wikileaks.org. Retrieved 5 September 2011.</ref> ''The Guardian'' argued that WikiLeaks was to blame since they gave the impression that the decryption key was temporary (something not possible for a file decryption key).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/sep/01/wikileaks-prepares-unredacted-us-cables |title=WikiLeaks prepares to release unredacted US cables Media guardian.co.uk |location=London |work=The Guardian |first=James |last=Ball |date=1 September 2011| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130212090525/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/sep/01/wikileaks-prepares-unredacted-us-cables | archivedate = 2013-02-12| deadurl=no}}. Guardian. Retrieved 5 September 2011.</ref> The German periodical ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' reported a more complex story<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,783778,00.html |title=Leak at WikiLeaks: A Dispatch Disaster in Six Acts – SPIEGEL ONLINE – News – International | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/631HI48dP | archivedate = 2011-11-07| deadurl=no}}. Spiegel.de. Retrieved 5 September 2011.</ref> involving errors on both sides. The incident resulted in widely expressed fears that the information released could endanger innocent lives.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-09-exposed-uncensored-wikileaks-cables-web.html |title=Exposed: Uncensored WikiLeaks cables posted to Web | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20111015144804/http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-09-exposed-uncensored-wikileaks-cables-web.html | archivedate = 2011-10-15| deadurl=no}} Raphael G. Satter, Associated Press, 1 September 2011, At Physorg.com</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/WikiLeaks-Blames-Newspaper-for-Uncensored-Cable-Leak---128891258.html |title=WikiLeaks Blames Newspaper for Uncensored Cable Leak | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20120421135058/http://www.voanews.com:80/english/news/usa/WikiLeaks-Blames-Newspaper-for-Uncensored-Cable-Leak---128891258.html | archivedate = 2012-04-21| deadurl=no}} Voice of America, 1 September 2011</ref>
{{TOC limit|3}}

== History ==

===Founding===
[[File:Julian Assange (1).jpg|thumb|[[Julian Assange]] was one of the early members of the WikiLeaks staff and is credited as the website's founder.]]

The wikileaks.org domain name was registered on 4 October 2006.<ref name="whois">{{cite web |title=Whois Search Results: wikileaks.org |url=http://who.godaddy.com/WhoIs.aspx?domain=wikileaks.org&isc=ALEXADOM |work=GoDaddy |accessdate=11 October 2012 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6BKUhKFk4 |archivedate=11 October 2012 |deadurl=no}}</ref> The website was begun, and published its first document, in December 2006.<ref name="TIME">{{cite news |title=WikiLeaks' War on Secrecy: Truth's Consequences |date=2 December 2010 |author=Calabresi, Massimo |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2034276-3,00.html |work=Time |place =New York |quote=Reportedly spurred by the leak of the Pentagon papers, Assange unveiled WikiLeaks in December 2006. |accessdate=19 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130520104123/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2034276-3,00.html | archivedate = 2013-05-20| deadurl=yes}}</ref><ref name="Khatchdourian">{{cite news |first=Raffi |last=Khatchadourian |date=7 June 2010 |url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/06/07/100607fa_fact_khatchadourian?printable=true |title=No Secrets: Julian Assange's Mission for total transparency |work=The New Yorker |accessdate=8 June 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827012725/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/06/07/100607fa_fact_khatchadourian?printable=true | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> WikiLeaks has been predominantly represented in public since January 2007 by [[Julian Assange]], who is now generally recognised as the "founder of WikiLeaks".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/rudd-government-blacklist-hacker-monitors-police/story-e6frg8yx-1225718288350 |title=Rudd Government blacklist hacker monitors police |work=The Australian |place =Sydney |author=Guilliatt, Richard |date=30 May 2009 |accessdate=17 June 2010 }}</ref> According to the magazine [[Wired (magazine)|''Wired'']], a volunteer said that Assange described himself in a private conversation as "the heart and soul of this organisation, its founder, philosopher, spokesperson, original coder, organizer, financier, and all the rest".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/world/24assange.html |work=The New York Times |title=WikiLeaks Founder on the Run, Trailed by Notoriety |date=23 October 2010 |last1=Burns |first1=John F. |last2=Somaiya |first2=Ravi |accessdate=19 December 2010 }}</ref>

WikiLeaks relies to some degree on volunteers and previously described its founders as a mixture of [[Asia]]n dissidents, journalists, mathematicians, and start-up company technologists from the [[United States]], [[Taiwan]], [[Europe]], [[Australia]], and [[South Africa]],<ref name="aboutwikileaks">{{cite web|url=http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/WikiLeaks:About |title=About WikiLeaks |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=2012-02-28 |accessdate=2012-12-05 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140410065353/http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/WikiLeaks:About/ | archivedate = 2014-04-10| deadurl=no}}</ref> but has progressively adopted a more traditional publication model and no longer accepts either user comments or edits. {{As of|2009|6}}, the website had more than 1,200 registered volunteers<ref name=aboutwikileaks/> and listed an advisory board comprising Assange, his deputy Jash Vora and seven other people, some of whom denied any association with the organisation.<ref name="ab">{{cite news |last=Rintoul |first=Stuart |title=WikiLeaks advisory board 'pretty clearly window-dressing' |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/wikileaks-advisory-board-pretty-clearly-window-dressing/story-e6frg6nf-1225967895242 |newspaper=The Australian |place=Sydney |date=9 December 2010 |accessdate=18 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140308001123/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/wikileaks-advisory-board-pretty-clearly-window-dressing/story-e6frg6nf-1225967895242 | archivedate = 2014-03-08| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/04/wikileaks-julian-assange-iraq-video?page=2 |title=Inside WikiLeaks' Leak Factory | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140429104335/http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/04/wikileaks-julian-assange-iraq-video?page=2 | archivedate = 2014-04-29| deadurl=no}}. Mother Jones (6 April 2010). Retrieved 22 November 2011.</ref>

Despite using the name "WikiLeaks", the website has not used the "[[wiki]]" publication method since May 2010.<ref name="wikigone"/> Also, despite some popular confusion<ref>{{cite news|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2010-09-06/In_the_news|title=Difficult relationship between WikiLeaks and Wikipedia|author=Wackywace, HaeB, and Tony1|date=6 September 2010|work={{srlink|Wikipedia:Signpost/About|The Signpost| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110626225250/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2010-09-06/In_the_news | archivedate = 2011-06-26| deadurl=no}}|publisher=[[Wikipedia]]|accessdate=1 December 2010}}</ref> due to both having "wiki" in their names, WikiLeaks and [[Wikipedia]] are not affiliated with each other ("wiki" is not a brand name);<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiLeaks_is_not_part_of_Wikipedia |title=Wikipedia:WikiLeaks is not part of Wikipedia |work=Wikipedia |publisher=[[Wikimedia Foundation]] |accessdate=1 December 2010| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110626223134/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiLeaks_is_not_part_of_Wikipedia | archivedate = 2011-06-26| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/wiki-giants-on-a-collision-course-over-shared-name-2065561.html |title=Wiki giants on a collision course over shared name |last1=Rawlinson |first1=Kevin |first2=Tom |last2=Peck |date=30 August 2010 |work=The Independent |place=London |accessdate=1 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20100912225910/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/wiki-giants-on-a-collision-course-over-shared-name-2065561.html | archivedate = 2010-09-12| deadurl=yes}}</ref> [[Wikia]], a [[for-profit corporation]] affiliated loosely with the [[Wikimedia Foundation]], did purchase several WikiLeaks-related domain names (including wikileaks.com and wikileaks.net) as a "protective brand measure" in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wikia.com/Press:Wikia_Does_Not_Own_Wikileaks_Domain_Names |title=Press:Wikia Does Not Own Wikileaks Domain Names |work=[[Wikia]] |publisher=[[Wikia]] |accessdate=13 December 2010| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140510121146/http://www.wikia.com/Press:Wikia_Does_Not_Own_Wikileaks_Domain_Names | archivedate = 2014-05-10| deadurl=no}}</ref>

===Purpose===
According to the WikiLeaks website, its goal is "to bring important news and information to the public... One of our most important activities is to publish original source material alongside our news stories so readers and historians alike can see evidence of the truth."

Another of the organisation's goals is to ensure that journalists and [[whistleblower]]s are not jailed for emailing sensitive or classified documents. The online "drop box" is described by the WikiLeaks website as "an innovative, secure and anonymous way for sources to leak information to [WikiLeaks] journalists".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://epic.org/foia/epic_v_doj_fbi_wikileaks.html|publisher=[[Electronic Privacy Information Center]]|title=EPIC v. DOJ, FBI: Wikileaks| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140214023818/http://epic.org/foia/epic_v_doj_fbi_wikileaks.html | archivedate = 2014-02-14| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In an interview as part of the American television programme ''[[The Colbert Report]]'', Assange discussed the limit to the freedom of speech, saying, "[it is] not an ultimate freedom, however free speech is what regulates government and regulates law. That is why in the [[US Constitution]] the Bill of Rights says that Congress is to make no such law abridging the freedom of the press. It is to take the rights of the press outside the rights of the law because those rights are superior to the law because in fact they create the law. Every constitution, every bit of legislation is derived from the flow of information. Similarly every government is elected as a result of people understanding things".<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/260785/april-12-2010/exclusive---julian-assange-extended-interview |publisher= Colbert Nation |date= 12 April 2010 |title =Exclusive&nbsp;– Julian Assange Extended Interview | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110107222724/http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/260785/april-12-2010/exclusive---julian-assange-extended-interview | archivedate = 2011-01-07| deadurl=no}}</ref>

The project has been compared to [[Daniel Ellsberg]]'s revelation of the "[[Pentagon Papers]]" (US war-related secrets) in 1971.<ref name="LinuxworldWikileaks1">{{cite news |last=Bradner |first=Scott |authorlink=Scott Bradner |title=Wikileaks: a site for exposure |url=http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2007/011706bradner.html?page=1 |accessdate=19 December 2010 |newspaper=[[Network World]] |place =Framingham, MA |date=17 January 2007 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209131629/http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2007/011706bradner.html?page=1 | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref> In the United States, the "leaking" of some documents may be legally protected. The [[U.S. Supreme Court]] has ruled that the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]] guarantees anonymity, at least in the context of [[political discourse]].<ref name="LinuxworldWikileaks1"/> Author and journalist [[Whitley Strieber]] has spoken about the benefits of the WikiLeaks project, noting that "Leaking a government document can mean jail, but jail sentences for this can be fairly short. However, there are many places where it means long incarceration or even death, such as China and parts of Africa and the Middle East."<ref>{{cite news |title=How to be a Whistle Blower |url=http://www.unknowncountry.com/news/how-be-whistle-blower |work=Unknowncountry.com |date=17 January 2007 |accessdate=17 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131220010617/http://www.unknowncountry.com/news/how-be-whistle-blower | archivedate = 2013-12-20| deadurl=no}}</ref>

== Administration ==
According to a January 2010 interview, the WikiLeaks team then consisted of five people working full-time and about 800 people who worked occasionally, none of whom were compensated.<ref name="leakonomy"/> WikiLeaks does not have any official headquarters. In November 2010 the WikiLeaks-endorsed<ref>{{cite web|title=Supporters|url=https://wikileaks.org/Supporters.html|publisher=Wikileaks | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140326090849/http://wikileaks.org/Supporters.html | archivedate = 2014-03-26| deadurl=no}}</ref> news and activism site WikiLeaks Central was initiated and was administrated by editor [[Heather Marsh]] who oversaw 70+ writers and volunteers.<ref name="smh">{{cite news|last=Dorling|first=Philip|title=Building on WikiLeaks|url=http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/building-on-wikileaks-20111028-1mo38.html|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=29 October 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20120130183250/http://www.smh.com.au:80/opinion/building-on-wikileaks-20111028-1mo38.html | archivedate = 2012-01-30| deadurl=no}}</ref> She resigned as editor in chief, administrator and domain holder of WikiLeaks Central on 8 March 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last=Marsh|first=Heather|title=To Whom It May Concern|url=http://wikileaks.theblogger.com.au/2012/03/08/to-whom-it-may-concern/|publisher=WL Central|accessdate=8 March 2012}} {{dead link |url=http://wikileaks.theblogger.com.au/2012/03/08/to-whom-it-may-concern/|date=April 2013}}</ref>

===Hosting===
WikiLeaks describes itself as "an uncensorable system for untraceable mass document leaking".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jul/14/julian-assange-whistleblower-wikileaks |title=Julian Assange: the whistleblower |work=The Guardian |place=London |author=Moss, Stephen |date=14 July 2010|accessdate=7 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110626230605/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jul/14/julian-assange-whistleblower-wikileaks | archivedate = 2011-06-26| deadurl=no}}</ref> The website is available on multiple servers and different [[domain name]]s as a result of a number of [[denial-of-service attack]]s and its elimination from different [[Domain Name System]] (DNS) providers.<ref name="satter">{{cite news | first = Raphael G. | last = Satter |author2=Peter Svensson | title = WikiLeaks fights to stay online amid attacks | date = 3 December 2010 | publisher = [[Bloomberg Businessweek]] | url = http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9JSHKUG0.htm | work = Bloomberg BusinessWeek | accessdate =14 March 2012 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101204043730/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9JSHKUG0.htm | archivedate = 4 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/wikileaks-hit-by-new-online-onslaught-2151570.html |title=WikiLeaks hit by new online onslaught |last1=Randall |first1=David|last2=Cooper|first2=Charlie |date=5 December 2010 |work=The Independent |accessdate=4 December 2010 |place=London | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140419020654/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/wikileaks-hit-by-new-online-onslaught-2151570.html | archivedate = 2014-04-19| deadurl=yes}}</ref>

Until August 2010, WikiLeaks was hosted by [[PRQ]], a Sweden-based company providing "highly secure, no-questions-asked hosting services". PRQ is said to have "almost no information about its clientele and maintains few if any of its own [[server log|logs]]".<ref name="goodwin">{{cite news |url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/21/wikileaks_bulletproof_hosting/ |title=Wikileaks<!-- sic! --> judge gets Pirate Bay treatment |author=Goodwin, Dan |work=The Register |place =London |date=21 February 2008 |accessdate=7 December 2010 }}</ref> Currently, WikiLeaks is hosted mainly by the Swedish internet service provider [[Bahnhof]] in the [[Pionen]] facility, a former nuclear bunker in Sweden.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=10018210 |title=Pentagon-papirer sikret i atom-bunker |work= [[VG Nett]] |place =Oslo|language = Norwegian |date=27 August 2010 |accessdate=6 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20100922042634/http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=10018210 | archivedate = 2010-09-22| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.forbes.com/andygreenberg/2010/08/30/wikileaks-servers-move-to-underground-nuclear-bunker/?boxes=businesschanneltopstories |title=Wikileaks<!-- sic! --> Servers Move To Underground Nuclear Bunker |work=Forbes (blog) |date=30 August 2010 |accessdate=6 December 2010 |first=Andy |last=Greenberg }}</ref> Other servers are spread around the world with the main server located in Sweden.<ref name="DN1">{{cite news |title=Jagad och hatad&nbsp;– men han vägrar vika sig |language=Swedish |trans_title =Chased and hated&nbsp;– but he refuses to give way |author=Fredén, Jonas |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |place =Stockholm |url=http://www.dn.se/nyheter/varlden/jagad-och-hatad-men-han-vagrar-vika-sig-1.1153725|date=14 August 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20100818113905/http://www.dn.se:80/nyheter/varlden/jagad-och-hatad-men-han-vagrar-vika-sig-1.1153725 | archivedate = 2010-08-18| deadurl=no}}</ref> Julian Assange has said that the servers are located in Sweden (and the other countries) "specifically because those nations offer legal protection to the disclosures made on the site". He talks about the [[Constitution of Sweden|Swedish constitution]], which gives the information providers total legal protection.<ref name="DN1" /> It is forbidden according to Swedish law for any administrative authority to make inquiries about the sources of any type of newspaper.<ref>{{cite news |title=Därför blir Julian Assange kolumnist i Aftonbladet |language=Swedish |author=Helin, Jan |newspaper=[[Aftonbladet]] (blog) |place =Stockholm |date=14 August 2010 |url=http://blogg.aftonbladet.se/janhelin/2010/08/darfor-blir-julian-assange-kolumnist-i-aftonbladet |accessdate=15 August 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20120820032744/http://blogg.aftonbladet.se/janhelin/2010/08/darfor-blir-julian-assange-kolumnist-i-aftonbladet | archivedate = 2012-08-20| deadurl=no}}</ref> These laws, and the hosting by PRQ, make it difficult for any authorities to eliminate WikiLeaks; they place an onus of proof upon any complainant whose suit would circumscribe WikiLeaks' liberty, e.g. its rights to exercise free speech online. Furthermore, "WikiLeaks maintains its own servers at undisclosed locations, keeps no logs and uses military-grade [[encryption]] to protect sources and other confidential information." Such arrangements have been called "[[bulletproof hosting]]."<ref name="goodwin"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/25/what-is-wikileaks/?iref=storysearch |title=What is WikiLeaks? |work =This Just In (CNN blog) |date=25 July 2010 |accessdate=6 August 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140114095005/http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/25/what-is-wikileaks/?iref=storysearch | archivedate = 2014-01-14| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In August 2010, the Swedish [[Pirate Party (Sweden)|Pirate Party]] announced it would be hosting, managing, and maintaining many of WikiLeaks' new servers without charge.<ref>{{cite news |author=TT |url=http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/piratpartiet-skoter-wikileak-servrar-1.1155285 |title=Piratpartiet sköter Wikileak-servrar |language=Swedish |trans_title=Pirate Party manages Wikileaks<!-- sic! --> Servers |work= Dagens Nyheter |place =Stockholm |date=17 August 2010 |accessdate=22 October 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Swedish Pirate Party to host WikiLeaks servers |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/08/18/sweden.wikileaks/#fbid=zfd5Igi2Lea&wom=false |accessdate=21 August 2010 |work =CNN |date=18 August 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131030044144/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/08/18/sweden.wikileaks/ | archivedate = 2013-10-30| deadurl=no}}</ref>

After the site became the target of a [[denial-of-service attack]] on its old servers, WikiLeaks moved its website to [[Amazon.com]]'s servers.<ref name="amazon">{{cite news |last= Gross |first=Doug |title=WikiLeaks cut off from Amazon servers |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/12/01/wikileaks.amazon/index.html?eref=edition |work=CNN |accessdate=2 December 2010 |date=2 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131029192138/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/12/01/wikileaks.amazon/index.html?eref=edition | archivedate = 2013-10-29| deadurl=no}}</ref> Later, however, the website was "ousted" from the Amazon servers.<ref name="amazon" /> In a public statement, Amazon said that WikiLeaks was not following its terms of service. The company further explained, "There were several parts they were violating. For example, our terms of service state that 'you represent and warrant that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the content... that use of the content you supply does not violate this policy and will not cause injury to any person or entity.' It's clear that WikiLeaks doesn't own or otherwise control all the rights to this classified content."<ref name="Hennigan">{{cite news |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/12/amazon-wikileaks-servers.html |title=Amazon says it dumped WikiLeaks because it put innocent people in jeopardy |last=Hennigan |first=W.J. |date=2 December 2010 |work=Technology blog, Los Angeles Times |accessdate=23 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131001220315/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/12/amazon-wikileaks-servers.html | archivedate = 2013-10-01| deadurl=no}}</ref> WikiLeaks was then moved to servers at [[OVH]], a private web-hosting service in France.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.lepoint.fr/high-tech-internet/expulse-d-amazon-wikileaks-s-installe-en-france-02-12-2010-1270137_47.php |title= Expulsé d'Amazon, WikiLeaks trouve refuge en France |date= 3 December 2010 |work=[[Le Point]] |place =Paris |author= Poncet, Guerric |language=French }}</ref> After criticism from the French government, the company sought two court rulings about the legality of hosting WikiLeaks. While the court in [[Lille]] immediately refused to force OVH to deactivate the WikiLeaks website, the court in Paris stated it would need more time to examine the complex technical issue.<ref name="'autogenerated3'">{{cite news | title = French company allowed to keep hosting WikiLeaks | date = 8 December 2010 | publisher = [[Bloomberg L.P.]] | url = http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9JVNO8O0.htm | work = Bloomberg BusinessWeek | accessdate =14 March 2012 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130928231950/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9JVNO8O0.htm | archivedate = 2013-09-28| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=French web host need not shut down WikiLeaks site: judge |url=http://www.france24.com/en/20101206-french-web-host-need-not-shut-down-wikileaks-site-judge |agency=AFP |work=France 24 |date=6 December 2010 |accessdate=8 December 2010| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131028131713/http://www.france24.com/en/20101206-french-web-host-need-not-shut-down-wikileaks-site-judge | archivedate = 2013-10-28| deadurl=yes}}</ref>

{{Quote box|width = 300px|quote = Do not use PGP to contact us. We have found that people use it in a dangerous manner. Further one of the Wikileaks key on several key servers is FAKE.|source = WikiLeaks, [http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/WikiLeaks:PGP_Keys WikiLeaks:PGP Keys]}}

To preserve anonymity, WikiLeaks staff uses software like [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]]<ref name="WikiLeaks 2012-03-14">{{cite web | url = https://wikileaks.org/Submissions.html | title = Submissions | accessdate =14 March 2012 | publisher = WikiLeaks | quote = You can also use secure TOR network (secure, anonymous, distributed network for maximum security) | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110715204504/http://wikileaks.org/Submissions.html | archivedate = 2011-07-15| deadurl=no}}</ref> and [[Pretty Good Privacy|PGP]],<ref>{{Wayback|url = https://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:PGP_Keys|date = 20071122102247}} {{Wayback|url=https://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:PGP_Keys|date =20110710090036}}</ref> for communication. PGP may no longer be used though because in November 2007<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/WikiLeaks_talk:PGP_Keys#PGP_key_0x11015F80_has_expired_on_2nd_November_2007|title = PGP key 0x11015F80 has expired on 2nd November 2007| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110710090028/http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks_talk:PGP_Keys | archivedate = 2011-07-10| deadurl=no}}</ref> the published PGP key expired. WikiLeaks warned against fake PGP keys on keyservers<ref>{{cite web|url = https://p10.secure.hostingprod.com/@spyblog.org.uk/ssl/wikileak/2008/09/why-have-wikileaksorg-abandoned-the-use-of-pgp-encryption.html|title = Why have WikiLeakS.org abandoned the use of PGP Encryption ?|accessdate = 2008-09-10|publisher = WikiLeak| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20120123121318/https://p10.secure.hostingprod.com/@spyblog.org.uk/ssl/wikileak/2008/09/why-have-wikileaksorg-abandoned-the-use-of-pgp-encryption.html | archivedate = 2012-01-23| deadurl=no}}</ref> and proposed as an alternative using a [[SSL encryption|SSL-encrypted]] [[Online chat|chat]].<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/WikiLeaks_talk:PGP_Keys#Wikileaks_no_longer_using_PGP_?_How_can_the_wikileaks_editorial_team_be_contacted_privately_without_PGP_?|title = Wikileaks no longer using PGP ? How can the wikileaks editorial team be contacted privately without PGP ?|publisher=Wikileaks.org|date=22 September 2008|accessdate=25 October 2013| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110710090028/http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks_talk:PGP_Keys | archivedate = 2011-07-10| deadurl=no}}</ref>

WikiLeaks was implemented on [[MediaWiki]] software between 2006 and October 2010.<ref name="WL Central 2012-03-14">{{cite web | url = http://wlcentral.org/node/1572 | title = Wikileaks / WL Central | accessdate =14 March 2012 | publisher = WL Central | quote = Between 2006 and October 2010, Wikileaks site was based on an implementation of the Mediawiki software (hence the name, Wikileaks). In October the site was taken down, and when Wikileaks returned, the new site (above) replaced the Mediawiki site. | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/66zVmYhF6 | archivedate = 2012-04-17| deadurl=no}}</ref> WikiLeaks strongly encouraged postings via [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]] because of the strong privacy needs of its users.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.freehaven.net/anonbib/cache/wpes09-bridge-attack.pdf |title=On the risks of serving whenever you surf |publisher=freehaven.net |accessdate=17 June 2010 |author=McLachlan, John |author2= Hopper, Nicholas |year=2009}}</ref>

On 4 November 2010, Julian Assange told Swiss public television organization – [[Télévision Suisse Romande]] (TSR) that he is seriously considering seeking [[Right of asylum|political asylum]] in neutral [[Switzerland]] and establishing a WikiLeaks foundation to move the operation there.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.tsr.ch/info/suisse/2657308-julian-assange-compte-demander-l-asile-en-suisse.html |title=Julian Assange compte demander l'asile en Suisse |work=TSR |place =Geneva |date=4 November 2010 |language=French | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827141316/http://www.tsr.ch/info/suisse/2657308-julian-assange-compte-demander-l-asile-en-suisse.html | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A369920101104 |title=WikiLeaks founder says may seek Swiss asylum |work=Reuters |author =Nebehay, Stephanie |date=4 November 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101109015013/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A369920101104 | archivedate = 2010-11-09| deadurl=no}}</ref> According to Assange at the time, Switzerland and [[Iceland]] were the only countries where WikiLeaks would be safe to operate.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.orf.at/stories/2023751/ |title=WikiLeaks-Gründer erwägt Umzug in die Schweiz |work=ORF |place =Vienna |date=5 November 2010 |language=German | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209153537/http://news.orf.at/stories/2023751/ | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = WikiLeaks Founder to Release Thousands of Documents on Lebanon | date = 5 November 2010 | publisher = [[Al-Manar]] | url = http://www.almanar.com.lb/NewsSite/NewsDetails.aspx?id=161016&language=en | work = Al-Manar TV | accessdate =14 March 2012 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101113051102/http://www.almanar.com.lb/NewsSite/NewsDetails.aspx?id=161016&language=en | archivedate = 13 November 2010}}</ref>

====Domain name service====
WikiLeaks had been using [[EveryDNS]]'s [[Domain Name System|domain name system]] (DNS). Distributed denial-of-service ([[DDoS]]) attacks against WikiLeaks hurt DNS quality of service for other EveryDNS customers; as a result, the company dropped WikiLeaks. Supporters of WikiLeaks waged verbal and DDoS attacks on EveryDNS. Because of a typographical error in [[blog]]s mistaking EveryDNS for competitor ''[[EasyDNS]]'', that sizable internet backlash hit EasyDNS. Despite that, EasyDNS (upon request of a customer who was setting up new WikiLeaks hosting) began providing WikiLeaks with DNS service on "two 'battle hardened' servers" to protect quality of service for its other customers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Canadian firm caught up in Wiki wars |first=Steve |last=Ladurantaye |url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/canadian-firm-caught-up-in-wiki-wars/article1830732/ |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |place =Toronto |date=8 December 2010 |accessdate=9 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110727052959/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/canadian-firm-caught-up-in-wiki-wars/article1830732/ | archivedate = 2011-07-27| deadurl=no}}</ref>

==== Tor hidden service ====
WikiLeaks operates a [[Tor hidden service]] – <code>suw74isz7wqzpmgu.onion</code> – to access the website.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/WikiLeaks:Tor|title = WikiLeaks:Tor|date = |accessdate = |website = |publisher = WikiLeaks|last = |first = }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = https://p10.secure.hostingprod.com/@spyblog.org.uk/ssl/wikileak/2010/07/wikileaksorg-again-has-a-tor-hidden-service-for-encrypted-anonymised-uploads---h.html|title = WikiLeakS.org again has a Tor Hidden Service for encrypted anonymised uploads - http://suw74isz7wqzpmgu.onion/|last = |first = WikiLeak|date = 2010-07-17|work = |accessdate = }}</ref><!-- for whole paragraph-->

=== Verification of submissions ===
WikiLeaks has contended that it has never released a misattributed document and that documents are assessed before release. In response to concerns about the possibility of misleading or fraudulent leaks, WikiLeaks has stated that misleading leaks "are already well-placed in the mainstream media. WikiLeaks is of no additional assistance."<ref>{{cite news |last=Trapido |first=Michael |title=Wikileaks: Is Julian Assange a hero, villain or simply dangerously naïve? |url=http://www.newstime.co.za/WorldNews/Wikileaks_:_Is_Julian_Assange_a_hero_villain_or_simply_dangerously_na%C3%AFve/16065/ |accessdate=18 December 2010 |newspaper=NewsTime |place =Johannesburg |date=1 December 2010| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110813024350/http://www.newstime.co.za/WorldNews/Wikileaks_:_Is_Julian_Assange_a_hero_villain_or_simply_dangerously_na%C3%AFve/16065/ | archivedate = 2011-08-13| deadurl=no}}</ref> The FAQ states that: "The simplest and most effective countermeasure is a worldwide community of informed users and editors who can scrutinise and discuss leaked documents."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/faq-en |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701115958/http://wikileaks.org/faq-en |archivedate=1 July 2007 |title=Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=WikiLeaks |accessdate=17 June 2010}}</ref>

According to statements by Assange in 2010, submitted documents are vetted by a group of five reviewers, with expertise in different topics such as language or [[Computer programming|programming]], who also investigate the background of the leaker if his or her identity is known.<ref name="motherjones3">{{cite news |url=http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/04/wikileaks-julian-assange-iraq-video?page=3 |title=Inside WikiLeaks' Leak Factory |work= Mother Jones |place =San Francisco |date= 6 April 2010 |accessdate=30 April 2010 |author= Kushner, David | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140429130626/http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/04/wikileaks-julian-assange-iraq-video?page=3 | archivedate = 2014-04-29| deadurl=no}}</ref> In that group, Assange has the final decision about the assessment of a document.<ref name=motherjones3/>

===Insurance files {{anchor|Insurance file}}===
On 29 July 2010 WikiLeaks added a 1.4&nbsp;GB "Insurance file" to the Afghan War Diary page. The file is [[Advanced Encryption Standard|AES]] encrypted and has a [[SHA1]] checksum of <code>cce54d3a8af370213d23fcbfe8cddc8619a0734c</code>.<ref name="wikileaks-insurance">{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/wiki/Afghan_War_Diary,_2004-2010 |title=Afghan War Diary, 2004–2010 |publisher=WikiLeaks |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723110642/http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Afghan_War_Diary,_2004-2010 |archivedate=23 July 2011 |deadurl=no |accessdate=28 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/27854791764 |title=Now is a good time to mirror this WikiLeaks 'insurance' backup |author=WikiLeaks |date=19 October 2010 |publisher=Twitter |accessdate=11 October 2012 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6A12IrnIP |archivedate=18 August 2012 |deadurl=no}}</ref> There has been speculation that it was intended to serve as insurance in case the WikiLeaks website or its spokesman Julian Assange are incapacitated, upon which the [[passphrase]] could be published.<ref name="wired_insurance">{{cite news |last=Zetter |first=Kim |title=WikiLeaks Posts Mysterious 'Insurance' File |date =30 July 2010 |url=http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/07/wikileaks-insurance-file/ |work=Wired |place =New York |accessdate=11 October 2012 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6BKS0KDEZ |archivedate=11 October 2012 |deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name="telegraph_dns_insuranceaes">{{cite news |first=Victoria |last=Ward |title=WikiLeaks website disconnected as US company withdraws support|date=3 December 2010 |work=The Daily Telegraph |place=London |url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8178457/WikiLeaks-website-disconnected-as-US-company-withdraws-support.html |accessdate=3 December 2010 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5uhylLWl9 |archivedate=3 December 2010 |deadurl=no}}</ref> After the first few days' release of the [[United States diplomatic cables leak|US diplomatic cables]] starting 28 November 2010, the US television broadcasting company [[CBS]] predicted that "If anything happens to Assange or the website, a key will go out to unlock the files. There would then be no way to stop the information from spreading like wildfire because so many people already have copies."<ref name="cbsnews_diplomaticbomb">{{cite news |first=Elizabeth |last=Palmer |title=WikiLeaks Backup Plan Could Drop Diplomatic Bomb |date=2 December 2010 |work=[[CBS]] News |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/12/02/eveningnews/main7111845.shtml |accessdate=3 December 2010 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5uhyqi1SX |archivedate=3 December 2010 |deadurl=no}}</ref> CBS correspondent Declan McCullagh stated, "What most folks are speculating is that the insurance file contains unreleased information that would be especially embarrassing to the US government if it were released."<ref name="cbsnews_diplomaticbomb" />

On 22 February 2012, there was another insurance file release, this time 65&nbsp;GB in size.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/172396949700476928 |title=Please bittorrent WikiLeaks Insurance release 2012-02-22 (65GB) |author=WikiLeaks |date=22 February 2012 |publisher=Twitter |accessdate=11 October 2012 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6BKS2Mw4K |archivedate=11 October 2012 |deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://wlstorage.net/torrent/wikileaks-insurance-20120222.tar.bz2.aes.torrent |title=wikileaks-insurance-20120222.tar.bz2.aes.torrent |date=22 February 2012 |work=wlstorage.net |accessdate=11 October 2012 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6BKSbubiD |archivedate=11 October 2012 |deadurl=no}}</ref> The insurance files are not to be confused with another encrypted file containing diplomatic cables, the password of which [[United States diplomatic cables leak|has been compromised]]. The insurance files' passwords have not been compromised and their contents are still unknown.

On 17 August 2013, WikiLeaks released another three insurance files, this time 3.6&nbsp;GB, 49&nbsp;GB and 349&nbsp;GB in size.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/wikileaks/posts/561645433870573 Official WikiLeaks Facebook Page. Retrieved 17 August 2013.</ref> Like previous insurance files, the contents of these three insurance files are still unknown.

=== Operational challenges ===
{{Expand section|We need more info on such topic|date=November 2014}}

Assange has acknowledged that the practice of posting largely unfiltered classified information online could one day cause the website to have "blood on our hands."<ref name="Khatchdourian"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/17/AR2010081705225.html|work=The Washington Post |title=The Justice Department weighs a criminal case against WikiLeaks |date=18 August 2010 |accessdate=10 December 2010 }}</ref> He expressed the opinion that the potential to save lives, however, outweighs the danger to innocents.<ref>{{cite video |url= http://svtplay.se/v/2316825/dokument_inifran/wikirebels_-_the_documentary |date=December 2010 |medium=Television production |title=WikiRebels the Documentary |publisher=[[Sveriges Television]] |place =Stockholm| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20120311213001/http://svtplay.se/v/2316825/dokument_inifran/wikirebels_-_the_documentary | archivedate = 2012-03-11| deadurl=yes}} (35:45 to 36:03)</ref> Furthermore, WikiLeaks has highlighted independent investigations which have failed to find any evidence of civilians harmed as a result of WikiLeaks' activities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.twitter.com/#!/wikileaks/status/27627822775|publisher=Twitter|title=Read closely: NATO tells CNN not a single case of Afghans needing protection or moving due to leak http://bit.ly/dk5NZi|date=17 October 2010|accessdate=20 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/media/DepartmentalTpl.cfm?CurrentId=10997 |title= Outcomes of WikiLeaks investigation| publisher =Australian Department of Defence |date=26 October 2010 |accessdate=20 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827142118/http://www.defence.gov.au/media/DepartmentalTpl.cfm?CurrentId=10997 | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> A surveillance-resistant social network, [[Friends of WikiLeaks]] (FoWL), was initiated by sympathizers with the organization in May 2012 to perform advocacy.<ref>{{cite web|title=WikiLeaks launches encrypted social network |first= Dan|last= Graziano |date=22 May 2012|publisher=bgr.com|url=http://www.bgr.com/2012/05/22/wikileaks-supportes-launch-social-network/ | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131204102457/http://bgr.com/2012/05/22/wikileaks-supportes-launch-social-network/ | archivedate = 2013-12-04| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://wlfriends.org/ |title=Friends of Wikileads | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130809164256/https://wlfriends.org/ | archivedate = 2013-08-09| deadurl=yes}} website.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title='Friends of WikiLeaks' fight for Assange's rights in European Court |date=19 June 2012 |publisher=RT.com |url=https://rt.com/news/friends-of-wikileaks-court-appeal-221/|accessdate=31 August 2012 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130502021333/http://rt.com/news/friends-of-wikileaks-court-appeal-221/ | archivedate = 2013-05-02| deadurl=yes}}</ref>

==Legal status==
{{Further|Reception of WikiLeaks}}

===Legal background===
The legal status of WikiLeaks is complex. Assange considers WikiLeaks a protection intermediary. Rather than leaking directly to the press, and fearing exposure and retribution, whistleblowers can leak to WikiLeaks, which then leaks to the press for them.<ref>{{cite news |last=Light |first=Gilead |work=The Great Debate (blog) |publisher=Reuters |title=The WikiLeaks story and criminal liability under the espionage laws |date=26 August 2010 |url=http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2010/08/26/the-wikileaks-story-and-criminal-liability-under-the-espionage-laws/ |accessdate=6 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130927175719/http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2010/08/26/the-wikileaks-story-and-criminal-liability-under-the-espionage-laws/ | archivedate = 2013-09-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> Its servers are located throughout Europe and are accessible from any uncensored web connection. The group located its headquarters in Sweden because it has one of the world's strongest laws to protect confidential source-journalist relationships.<ref name="Woolner 2010">{{cite news |title=WikiLeaks Secret Records Dump Stays in Legal Clear |last=Woolner |first=Ann |date=28 July 2010 |url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-28/wikileaks-secret-records-dump-stays-in-legal-clear-ann-woolner.html |work=Bloomberg |place =New York | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827013053/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-28/wikileaks-secret-records-dump-stays-in-legal-clear-ann-woolner.html | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hennigan |first=W. J. |title=WikiLeaks' new home is in a former bomb shelter |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/12/wikileaks-bahnhof-amazon.html |accessdate=11 December 2010 |work=Los Angeles Times technology blog |date=2 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140413121631/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/12/wikileaks-bahnhof-amazon.html | archivedate = 2014-04-13| deadurl=no}}</ref> WikiLeaks has stated it does not solicit any information.<ref name="Woolner 2010" /> However, Assange used his speech during the Hack In The Box conference in Malaysia to ask the crowd of hackers and security researchers to help find documents on its "Most Wanted Leaks of 2009" list.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nystedt |first=Dan |date=28 October 2009 |work=PC World Australia |place =Sydney |title=Wikileaks leader talks of courage and wrestling pigs |url=http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/323998/wikileaks_leader_talks_courage_wrestling_pigs/ |accessdate=5 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140202203230/http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/323998/wikileaks_leader_talks_courage_wrestling_pigs/ | archivedate = 2014-02-02| deadurl=no}}</ref>

===Potential criminal prosecution===
The [[United States Department of Justice|U.S. Justice Department]] began a criminal investigation of WikiLeaks and Julian Assange soon after the [[United States diplomatic cables leak|leak of diplomatic cables]] began.<ref name="Savage20101201">{{cite news |last=Savage |first=Charlie |title=U.S. Weighs Prosecution of WikiLeaks Founder, but Legal Scholars Warn of Steep Hurdles |date=1 December 2010 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/world/02legal.html |newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=5 December 2010 }}</ref><ref name="WPost">{{cite news |last=Yost |first=Pete |title=Holder says WikiLeaks under criminal investigation |url=http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/29/holder-says-wikileaks-criminal-investigation/ |accessdate=5 December 2010 |work =Fox News |date=29 November 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131224090729/http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/29/holder-says-wikileaks-criminal-investigation/ | archivedate = 2013-12-24| deadurl=no}}</ref> Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] affirmed the investigation was "not saber-rattling", but was "an active, ongoing criminal investigation."<ref name=WPost /> ''The Washington Post'' reported that the department was considering charges under the [[Espionage Act of 1917]], an action which former prosecutors characterised as "difficult" because of [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] protections for the press.<ref name=Savage20101201 /><ref name="nakashima">{{cite news |last=Nakashima |first=Ellen |author2=Markon, Jerry |title=WikiLeaks founder could be charged under Espionage Act |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/29/AR2010112905973.html |accessdate=5 December 2010 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=30 November 2010 }}</ref> Several Supreme Court cases (e.g. [[Bartnicki v. Vopper]]) have established previously that the American constitution protects the re-publication of illegally gained information provided the publishers did not themselves violate any laws in acquiring it.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2010/07/26/pentagon-papers-ii-on-wikileaks-and-the-first-amendment/ |accessdate =6 December 2010 |date=26 July 2010| title= Pentagon Papers II? On WikiLeaks and the First Amendment |work=The Wall Street Journal (blog) |author=Jones, Ashby | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130511022459/http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2010/07/26/pentagon-papers-ii-on-wikileaks-and-the-first-amendment/ | archivedate = 2013-05-11| deadurl=no}}</ref> Federal prosecutors have also considered prosecuting Assange for trafficking in stolen government property, but since the diplomatic cables are intellectual rather than physical property, that method is also difficult.<ref>{{cite news |last=Savage |first=Charlie |title=U.S. Prosecutors Study WikiLeaks Prosecution |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/world/08leak.html?partner=rss&emc=rss |accessdate=9 December 2010 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=7 December 2010}} {{dead link|date=May 2014}}</ref> Any prosecution of Assange would require extraditing him to the United States, a procedure made more complicated and potentially delayed by any preceding extradition to Sweden.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Anthony |last1=Faiola |first2=Jerry |last2=Markon |title=WikiLeaks founder's arrest in Britain complicates efforts to extradite him |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/07/AR2010120700721.html |accessdate=9 December 2010 |date=7 December 2010 |work=The Washington Post }}</ref> One of Assange's lawyers, however, says they are fighting extradition to Sweden because it might result in his [[extradition]] to the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/05/julian-assange-lawyers-being-watched |title= Julian Assange's lawyers say they are being watched |first=Sam |last=Jones |work=The Guardian |place=London |date =5 December 2010 |accessdate=5 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110716001520/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/05/julian-assange-lawyers-being-watched | archivedate = 2011-07-16| deadurl=no}}</ref> Assange's attorney, Mark Stephens, has "heard from Swedish authorities there has been a secretly empanelled grand jury in Alexandria [Virginia]" meeting to consider criminal charges for the WikiLeaks case.<ref>{{cite news |title=Assange attorney: Secret grand jury meeting in Virginia on WikiLeaks |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/13/wikileaks.investigation/index.html |date=13 December 2010 |work=CNN International |accessdate=13 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101223042726/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/13/wikileaks.investigation/index.html | archivedate = 2010-12-23| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In Australia, the government and the [[Australian Federal Police]] have not stated what Australian laws may have been violated by WikiLeaks, but then Prime Minister [[Julia Gillard]] has stated that the foundation of WikiLeaks and the stealing of classified documents from the US administration is illegal in foreign countries.<ref>{{cite interview |title=Gillard refines verdict on Assange |first=Julia |last=Gillard |date=7 December 2010 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s3086783.htm |interviewer=Lyndal Curtis |program=[[The World Today (Australian radio program)|The World Today]] |callsign=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC Radio]] (Australia) |accessdate=12 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209143804/http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s3086783.htm | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref> Gillard later clarified her statement as referring to "the original theft of the material by a junior US serviceman rather than any action by Mr Assange."<ref>{{cite news |first=Patricia |last=Karvelas |title=Party revolt growing over Prime Minister Julia Gillard's WikiLeaks stance |newspaper=[[The Australian]] |place =Sydney |date=14 December 2010 |url= http://www.news.com.au/features/wikileaks/party-revolt-at-pms-wiki-stance/story-fn79cf6x-1225970594165 |accessdate=14 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130731185654/http://www.news.com.au/features/wikileaks/party-revolt-at-pms-wiki-stance/story-fn79cf6x-1225970594165 | archivedate = 2013-07-31| deadurl=no}}</ref> Spencer Zifcak, President of Liberty Victoria, an Australian civil liberties group, notes that without a charge or a trial completed, it is inappropriate to state that WikiLeaks is guilty of illegal activities.<ref>{{cite interview |subject=Robinson, Jennifer |subject2=Zifcak, Spencer |subject3= Saul, Ben |title=Law experts say WikiLeaks in the clear |quote=There is no charge and there has been no trial and even given all of those things the Prime Minister had the confidence to say that Mr Assange was guilty of illegality. Now that seems to me to be completely inappropriate. |interviewer=Simon Lauder |program=[[The World Today (Australian radio program)|The World Today]] |callsign=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC Radio]] (Australia) |url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s3086781.htm |date=7 December 2010 |accessdate=12 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209143152/http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s3086781.htm | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref>

On threats by various governments toward Julian Assange, legal expert [[Ben Saul]] argues that Assange is the target of a global smear campaign to demonise him as a criminal or as a terrorist, without any legal basis.<ref>{{harvnb|Lauder|2010}}: statement by Dr [[Ben Saul]], director of the Centre for International Law at the [[University of Sydney]].</ref> The U.S. [[Center for Constitutional Rights]] has issued a statement emphasizing its alarm at the "multiple examples of legal overreach and irregularities" in his arrest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ccrjustice.org/newsroom/press-releases/ccr-statement-arrest-of-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange |title=Statement on Arrest of WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange |publisher=[[Center for Constitutional Rights]] |location =New York |date =7 December 2010 |accessdate=21 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140228040337/http://ccrjustice.org/newsroom/press-releases/ccr-statement-arrest-of-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange | archivedate = 2014-02-28| deadurl=no}}</ref>

== Financing ==
WikiLeaks is a not-for-profit organisation, funded largely by volunteers, and it is dependent on public donations. Its main financing methods include conventional [[Wire transfer|bank transfers]] and [[E-commerce payment system|online payment systems]]. Annual expenses have been estimated at about €200,000, mainly for servers and dealing with bureaucracy, but might reportedly become €600,000 if work currently done by volunteers were to become paid.<ref name="leakonomy"/>

WikiLeaks' lawyers often work pro bono, and in some cases legal aid has been donated by media organisations such as the [[Associated Press]], the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', and the [[National Newspaper Publishers Association]].<ref name="leakonomy"/> WikiLeaks' only revenue consists of donations, but it has considered other options including auctioning early access to documents.<ref name="leakonomy"/> During September 2011, WikiLeaks began auctioning items on [[eBay]] to raise funds, and Assange told an audience at Sydney's Festival of Dangerous Ideas that the organisation might not be able to survive.

=== Funding model ===
The [[Wau Holland Foundation]] helps to process donations to WikiLeaks. In July 2010, the Foundation stated that WikiLeaks was not receiving any money for personnel costs, only for hardware, travelling and bandwidth.<ref name="techeye">{{cite news |url=http://www.techeye.net/internet/wau-holland-foundation-sheds-light-on-wikileaks-donations#ixzz0td0dXhBx |title=Wau Holland Foundation sheds light on WikiLeaks donations&nbsp;– Hardware, ISP, travelling costs |work= TechEye.net |date=13 July 2010 |accessdate=1 August 2010 |author= Daly, John W. | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110727011201/http://www.techeye.net/internet/wau-holland-foundation-sheds-light-on-wikileaks-donations | archivedate = 2011-07-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> An article in [[TechEye]] stated: {{quote|As a charity accountable under German law, donations for WikiLeaks can be made to the foundation. Funds are held in escrow and are given to WikiLeaks after the whistleblower website files an application containing a statement with proof of payment. The foundation does not pay any sort of salary nor give any renumeration {{sic}} to WikiLeaks' personnel, corroborating the statement of the site's former German representative Daniel Schmitt [real name [[Daniel Domscheit-Berg]]]<ref name="bates"/> on national television that all personnel works voluntarily, even its speakers.<ref name=techeye/>}}
However, in December 2010 the [[Wau Holland Foundation]] stated that 4 permanent employees, including Julian Assange, had begun to receive salaries.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://m.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20101223-31975.html |work =The Local |place =Berlin |title=Wikileaks donations still flowing, but not to Assange legal fund |accessdate=23 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131002143644/http://m.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20101223-31975.html | archivedate = 2013-10-02| deadurl=yes}}</ref>

In 2010, Assange said the organization was registered as a library in Australia, a foundation in France, and a newspaper in Sweden, and that it also used two United States-based non-profit [[501c3]] organizations for funding purposes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704554104575436231926853198|title=How WikiLeaks Keeps Its Funding Secret|date=2015-08-23|accessdate=2015-02-03}}</ref>

On 24 December 2009, WikiLeaks announced that it was experiencing a shortage of funds<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.twitter.com/wikileaks/status/6995068005 |title=Twitter / WikiLeaks: To deal with a shortage of... |publisher=Twitter |date=24 December 2009 |accessdate=30 April 2010 }}</ref> and suspended all access to its website except for a form to submit new material.<ref name="digdeep"/> Material that was previously published was no longer available, although some could still be accessed on unofficial [[mirror website]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=WikiLeaks&nbsp;– Mirrors |url=http://wikileaks.ch/Mirrors.html |publisher=WikiLeaks |accessdate=18 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5ulmvdkVL | archivedate = 2010-12-06| deadurl=no}}</ref> WikiLeaks stated on its website that it would resume full operation once the operational costs were paid.<ref name="digdeep">{{cite news |last= Butselaar |first=Emily |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/jan/29/wikileaks-shut-down |title=Dig deep for WikiLeaks |work=The Guardian |date=29 January 2010 |accessdate =30 January 2010 |place=London | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827012108/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/jan/29/wikileaks-shut-down | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> WikiLeaks saw this as a kind of work stoppage "to ensure that everyone who is involved stops normal work and actually spends time raising revenue".<ref name="leakonomy">{{cite news |title=Leak-o-nomy: The Economy of Wikileaks (Interview with Julian Assange) |author=Mey, Stefan |url=http://stefanmey.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/leak-o-nomy-the-economy-of-wikileaks/|accessdate=19 December 2010 |work=Medien-Ökonomie-Blog |date=4 January 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101213110334/http://stefanmey.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/leak-o-nomy-the-economy-of-wikileaks/ | archivedate = 2010-12-13| deadurl=no}}</ref> While the organisation initially planned for funds to be secured by 6 January 2010,<ref>{{cite web |author=WikiLeaks |url=https://www.twitter.com/wikiLeaks |title=at 7:42&nbsp;am 5&nbsp;Jan 2010 |publisher=Twitter |accessdate=30 April 2010 }}</ref> it was not until 3 February 2010 that WikiLeaks announced that its minimum fundraising goal had been achieved.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.twitter.com/wikileaks/status/8613426708 |title=Twitter / Wikileaks: Achieved min. funraising g... |publisher=Twitter |accessdate=30 April 2010 }}</ref>

On 22 January 2010, the internet payment intermediary [[PayPal]] suspended WikiLeaks' donation account and froze its assets. WikiLeaks said that this had happened before, and was done for "no obvious reason".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.twitter.com/wikileaks/status/8101847372 |title=WikiLeaks: Paypal has again locked our... |publisher=Twitter|accessdate =26 January 2010 }}</ref> The account was restored on 25 January 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.twitter.com/wikileaks/status/8192453527 |title=WikiLeaks: Paypal has freed up our... |publisher=Twitter |accessdate=26 January 2010 }}</ref> On 18 May 2010, WikiLeaks announced that its website and archive were operational again.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/14270362566 |title=Wikileaks: Next milestone completed:... |publisher=Twitter|date=18 May 2010|accessdate=18 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110626223059/https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/14270362566 | archivedate = 2011-06-26| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In June 2010, WikiLeaks was a finalist for a grant of more than half a million dollars from the [[John S. and James L. Knight Foundation]],<ref name="Khatchdourian"/> but did not make the final approval.<ref name="Knight">{{cite news |last=Cohen |first=Noam |url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/17/knight-foundation-hands-out-grants-to-12-groups-but-not-wikileaks/ |title=Knight Foundation Hands Out Grants to 12 Groups, but Not WikiLeaks |work=Media Decoder Blog |publisher=The New York Times |date=17 June 2010 |accessdate=1 August 2010 }}</ref> WikiLeaks commented via Twitter, "WikiLeaks was highest rated project in the Knight challenge, strongly recommended to the board but gets no funding. Go figure."<ref name="Cook">{{cite news|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100617/ts_ynews/ynews_ts2677_3|title=WikiLeaks questions why it was rejected for Knight grant|last=Cook|first=John|date=17 June 2010|work=[[Yahoo! News]]|accessdate=19 December 2010| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110514045824/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100617/ts_ynews/ynews_ts2677_3 | archivedate = 2011-05-14| deadurl=yes}}</ref> WikiLeaks said that the Knight foundation announced the award to "'12 Grantees who will impact future of news'&nbsp;– but not WikiLeaks" and questioned whether Knight foundation was "really looking for impact".<ref name=Knight/> A spokesman of the Knight Foundation disputed parts of WikiLeaks' statement, saying "WikiLeaks was not recommended by Knight staff to the board."<ref name="Cook" /> However, he declined to say whether WikiLeaks was the project rated highest by the Knight advisory panel, which consists of non-staffers, among them journalist [[Jennifer 8. Lee]], who has done PR work for WikiLeaks with the press and on social networking websites.<ref name="Cook" />

During 2010, WikiLeaks received €635,772.73 in PayPal donations, less €30,000 in PayPal fees, and €695,925.46 in bank transfers. €500,988.89 of the sum was received in the month of December, primarily as bank transfers as PayPal suspended payments 4 December. €298,057.38 of the remainder was received in April.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cryptome.org/0003/wl-finance-en.pdf|title="Project 04: Enduring freedom of information" Preliminary transparency report 2010|publisher=Wau-Holland-Stiftung (WHS) ''via'' [[Cryptome]] |date=26 April 2011}}</ref>

The [[Wau Holland Foundation]], one of the WikiLeaks' main funding channels, stated that they received more than €900,000 in public donations between October 2009 and December 2010, of which €370,000 has been passed on to WikiLeaks. Hendrik Fulda, vice president of the Wau Holland Foundation, mentioned that the Foundation had been receiving twice as many donations through [[PayPal]] as through normal banks, before PayPal's decision to suspend WikiLeaks' account. He also noted that every new WikiLeaks publication brought "a wave of support", and that donations were strongest in the weeks after WikiLeaks started publishing leaked diplomatic cables.<ref>{{cite news |title='Donations Were Never as Strong as Now' |work= Spiegel International |place=Hamburg |date=13 December 2010 |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,734318,00.html |accessdate=15 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110715205752/http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,734318,00.html | archivedate = 2011-07-15| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Financing WikiLeaks|first= Scott |last=Horton |newspaper=Harper's Magazine |place =New York |date=6 August 2010 |url=http://www.harpers.org/archive/2010/08/hbc-90007485 |accessdate=15 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20121019211817/http://harpers.org/archive/2010/08/hbc-90007485 | archivedate = 2012-10-19| deadurl=no}}</ref>

The Icelandic judiciary decided that [[Valitor]] (a company related to [[Visa Inc.|Visa]] and [[MasterCard]]) was violating the law when it prevented donation to the site by credit card. A justice ruled that the donations will be allowed to return to the site after 14 days or they would be fined in the amount of U$6,000 a day.<ref>{{cite news|last=Zetter |first=Kim |url=http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/07/wikileaks-visa-blockade/ |title=WikiLeaks Wins Icelandic Court Battle Against Visa for Blocking Donations &#124; Threat Level |publisher=Wired.com |date=2012-07-12 |accessdate=2012-11-19 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6HCadcYXO | archivedate = 2013-06-07| deadurl=no}}</ref>

==== Bitcoin adoption ====
On 15 June 2011, WikiLeaks began accepting donations in [[Bitcoin]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/support.html |title=Donate | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827113522/http://wikileaks.org/support.html | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}. Wikileaks.org (8 July 2011). Retrieved 5 September 2011.</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.forbes.com/andygreenberg/2011/06/14/wikileaks-asks-for-anonymous-bitcoin-donations/ |title=WikiLeaks Asks For Anonymous Bitcoin Donations – Andy Greenberg – The Firewall – Forbes | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110627061856/http://blogs.forbes.com/andygreenberg/2011/06/14/wikileaks-asks-for-anonymous-bitcoin-donations/ | archivedate = 2011-06-27| deadurl=no}}. Blogs.forbes.com (14 June 2011). Retrieved 5 September 2011.</ref>

== Leaks ==
{{main|Information published by WikiLeaks}}

===2006–08===
WikiLeaks posted its first document in December 2006, a decision to assassinate government officials signed by Sheikh [[Hassan Dahir Aweys]]."<ref name="Khatchdourian"/> In August 2007, the UK newspaper ''[[The Guardian]]'' published a story about corruption by the family of the former Kenyan leader [[Daniel arap Moi]] based on information provided via WikiLeaks.<ref>{{cite news| title=The looting of Kenya|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/kenya/story/0,,2159757,00.html|work=The Guardian|date=31 August 2007| accessdate=28 February 2008|place=London|first=Xan|last=Rice | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080131213722/http://www.guardian.co.uk:80/kenya/story/0,,2159757,00.html | archivedate = 2008-01-31| deadurl=no}}</ref> In November 2007, a March 2003 copy of ''[[Camp Delta Standard Operating Procedures|Standard Operating Procedures for Camp Delta]]'' detailing the protocol of the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] at the [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]] was released.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.wired.com/politics/onlinerights/news/2007/11/gitmo |title=Sensitive Guantánamo Bay Manual Leaked Through Wiki Site |work=Wired |place =New York |date=14 November 2007 |author=Singel, Ryan | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140210123003/http://www.wired.com/politics/onlinerights/news/2007/11/gitmo | archivedate = 2014-02-10| deadurl=yes}}</ref> The document revealed that some prisoners were off-limits to the [[International Committee of the Red Cross]], something that the U.S. military had in the past denied repeatedly.<ref name="Reuters 15 November 2007">{{cite news |title= Guantanamo operating manual posted on Internet |date=15 November 2007 |url= http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN1424207020071114?pageNumber=1 |work=Reuters |accessdate =15 November 2007 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20081222055914/http://www.reuters.com:80/article/newsOne/idUSN1424207020071114?pageNumber=1 | archivedate = 2008-12-22| deadurl=no}}</ref> In February 2008, WikiLeaks released allegations of illegal activities at the [[Cayman Islands]] branch of the Swiss Bank [[Julius Baer]], which resulted in the bank [[Bank Julius Baer vs. WikiLeaks|suing WikiLeaks]] and obtaining an injunction which temporarily suspended the operation of wikileaks.org.<ref name="injunction">{{cite press release |title= Wikileaks.org under injunction |url=http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks.org_under_injunction |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080306005837/http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks.org_under_injunction |archivedate=6 March 2008 |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=18 February 2008 |accessdate=28 February 2008}}</ref> The California judge had the service provider of WikiLeaks block the site's domain (wikileaks.org) on 18 February 2008, although the bank only wanted the documents to be removed but WikiLeaks had failed to name a contact. The website was instantly mirrored by supporters, and later that month the judge overturned his previous decision citing [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] concerns and questions about legal [[jurisdiction]].<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news |url=http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1039527/judge-rethinks-wikileaks |title=Judge reverses Wikileaks injunction |work =The Inquirer |place =London |date=2 March 2008 |author=Orion, Egan |accessdate=23 September 2009 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209125421/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1039527/judge-rethinks-wikileaks | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Gollner, Philipp |work=Reuters |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN2927431720080229 |title=Judge reverses ruling in Julius Baer leak case |date=29 February 2008 |accessdate=1 March 2008 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101210183558/http://www.reuters.com:80/article/internetNews/idUSN2927431720080229 | archivedate = 2010-12-10| deadurl=no}}</ref> In March 2008, WikiLeaks published what they referred to as "the collected secret 'bibles' of [[Scientology]]," and three days later received letters threatening to sue them for breach of copyright.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/08/church_of_scientology_contacts_wikileaks/ |title=Scientology threatens Wikileaks with injunction |work =The Register |place =London |date=8 April 2008 |accessdate=7 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140215204305/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/08/church_of_scientology_contacts_wikileaks/ | archivedate = 2014-02-15| deadurl=no}}</ref> In September 2008, during the [[United States presidential election, 2008|2008 United States presidential election campaigns]], the contents of a Yahoo account belonging to [[Sarah Palin]] (the running mate of Republican presidential nominee [[John McCain]]) were [[Sarah Palin email hack|posted on WikiLeaks]] after being hacked into by members of a group known as [[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/09/group-posts-e-m.html |work=Threat Level ([[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] blog) |author= Zetter, Kim |date=17 September 2008 |title=Group Posts E-Mail Hacked From Palin Account&nbsp;– Update | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20090403071526/http://blog.wired.com:80/27bstroke6/2008/09/group-posts-e-m.html | archivedate = 2009-04-03| deadurl=no}}</ref> In November 2008, the membership list of the far-right [[British National Party]] was posted to WikiLeaks, after appearing briefly on a weblog.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7956824.stm |title ='BNP membership' officer sacked |work=BBC News |accessdate=23 March 2009 |date=21 March 2009 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20090326060319/http://news.bbc.co.uk:80/1/hi/england/merseyside/7956824.stm | archivedate = 2009-03-26| deadurl=no}}</ref> A year later, on October 2009, another list of BNP members was leaked.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/oct/20/bnp-membership-list-wikileaks |title=BNP membership list leaked |work=Guardian |accessdate=20 October 2009 |place=London |first=Robert |last=Booth |date=20 October 2009 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130130044736/http://www.guardian.co.uk:80/politics/2009/oct/20/bnp-membership-list-wikileaks | archivedate = 2013-01-30| deadurl=no}}</ref>

===2009===
In January 2009, WikiLeaks released 86 telephone intercept recordings of Peruvian politicians and businessmen involved in the [[2008 Peru oil scandal]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.terra.com.pe/noticias/noticias/act1609692/aparecen-86-nuevos-petroaudios-romulo-leon.html |title=Aparecen 86 nuevos petroaudios de Rómulo León |work=Terra Peru |language=Spanish |place =Lima |date=28 January 2009 |accessdate=8 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131017060119/http://www.terra.com.pe/noticias/noticias/act1609692/aparecen-86-nuevos-petroaudios-romulo-leon.html | archivedate = 2013-10-17| deadurl=no}}</ref> During February, WikiLeaks released 6,780 [[Congressional Research Service]] reports<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/11/AR2009021101388.html |title=Thousands of Congressional Reports Now Available Online |author=Krebs, Brian |work=The Washington Post |date=11 February 2009 |accessdate=7 December 2010}} {{dead link |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/11/AR2009021101388.html|date=April 2013}}</ref> followed in March by a list of contributors to the [[Norm Coleman]] senatorial campaign<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10195434-83.html |title=Coleman Senate campaign in donor data leak mess |work=CNET News |author=Mills, Elinor |date=12 March 2009|accessdate=7 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131016213753/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10195434-83.html | archivedate = 2013-10-16| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/The_Big_Bad_Database_of_Senator_Norm_Coleman |title=The Big Bad Database of Senator Norm Coleman |publisher=Mirror.wikileaks.info |date=11 March 2009 |accessdate=17 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140419221950/https://wikileaks.org/wiki/The_Big_Bad_Database_of_Senator_Norm_Coleman | archivedate = 2014-04-19| deadurl=no}}</ref> and a set of documents belonging to [[Barclays Bank]] that had been ordered removed from the website of ''The Guardian''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jul/06/wikileaks-wikipedia-indiana-jones |title=Read all about it |work=The Guardian |place=London |author=Luft, Oliver |date=6 July 2009 |accessdate=7 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827011115/http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jul/06/wikileaks-wikipedia-indiana-jones | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> In July, it released a report relating to a serious nuclear accident that had occurred at the Iranian [[Nuclear facilities in Iran#Natanz|Natanz nuclear facility]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mirror.wikileaks.info/wiki/Serious_nuclear_accident_may_lay_behind_Iranian_nuke_chief%27s_mystery_resignation/ |title=Serious nuclear accident may lay behind Iranian nuke chief's mystery resignation |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=16 July 2009 |accessdate=16 October 2010 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5vLdA2dsZ | archivedate = 2010-12-29| deadurl=no}}</ref> Later media reports have suggested that the accident was related to the [[Stuxnet]] [[computer worm]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/09/27/6_mysteries_about_stuxnet |title=6 mysteries about Stuxnet |author=Hounshell, Blake |work= Passport (blog) |publisher =Foreign Policy |location =Washington DC |date=27 September 2010 |accessdate=28 September 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209181744/http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/09/27/6_mysteries_about_stuxnet | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Woodward, Paul |url=http://warincontext.org/2010/09/26/iran-confirms-stuxnet-found-at-bushehr-nuclear-power-plant/ |title=Iran confirms Stuxnet found at Bushehr nuclear power plant|publisher=Warincontext.org |date=22 February 1999 |accessdate=28 September 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209162332/http://warincontext.org/2010/09/26/iran-confirms-stuxnet-found-at-bushehr-nuclear-power-plant/ | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref> In September, internal documents from [[Kaupthing Bank]] were leaked, from shortly before the collapse of Iceland's banking sector, which caused the [[2008–2012 Icelandic financial crisis]]. The document shows that suspiciously large sums of money were loaned to various owners of the bank, and large debts written off.<ref>{{cite web |title=Miklar hreyfingar rétt fyrir hrun |trans_title= Large movements just before crash |url=http://www.ruv.is/frett/miklar-hreyfingar-rett-fyrir-hrun |date=31 July 2009 |work=[[RÚV|Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV)]] |location=Reykjavik |language=Icelandic |accessdate=22 September 2009| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110809051437/http://www.ruv.is/frett/miklar-hreyfingar-rett-fyrir-hrun | archivedate = 2011-08-09| deadurl=yes}}</ref> In October, [[Joint Services Protocol 440]], a British document advising the security services on how to avoid documents being leaked, was published by WikiLeaks.<ref>{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Chivers |url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/6261756/MoD-how-to-stop-leaks-document-is-leaked.html |title=MoD 'how to stop leaks' document is leaked |work=The Daily Telegraph| location=London |date=5 October 2009 |accessdate=6 October 2009 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110107215301/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/6261756/MoD-how-to-stop-leaks-document-is-leaked.html | archivedate = 2011-01-07| deadurl=no}}</ref> Later that month, it announced that a [[super-injunction]] was being used by the commodities company [[Trafigura]] to stop ''The Guardian'' (London) from reporting on a leaked internal document regarding a [[2006 Ivory Coast toxic waste dump|toxic dumping incident]] in Côte d'Ivoire.<ref name="wikileaks">{{cite news |url=http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2009/10/a-gag-too-far/ |author=Margaronis, Maria |title=A gag too far |work=Index On Censorship |date=October 2009 |accessdate=14 October 2009 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209090937/http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2009/10/a-gag-too-far/ | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Minton report secret injunction gagging The Guardian on Trafigura |work=WikiLeaks |url=https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Minton_report_secret_injunction_gagging_The_Guardian_on_Trafigura,_11_Sep_2009 |accessdate=15 October 2009 |archiveurl=http://mirror.wikileaks.info/wiki/Minton_report_secret_injunction_gagging_The_Guardian_on_Trafigura,_11_Sep_2009/ |archivedate=11 September 2009| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20100830063054/http://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Minton_report_secret_injunction_gagging_The_Guardian_on_Trafigura,_11_Sep_2009 | archivedate = 2010-08-30| deadurl=yes}}</ref> In November, it hosted copies of [[Climatic Research Unit email controversy|e-mail correspondence between climate scientists]], although they were not leaked originally to WikiLeaks.<ref>{{cite news |title=WikiLeaks.org aims to expose lies, topple governments |date=29 November 2009 |work=New York Post |url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/wikileaks_org_aims_to_expose_lies_flsLqNMO3B0LEtxL5bNaKL | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827011942/http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/wikileaks_org_aims_to_expose_lies_flsLqNMO3B0LEtxL5bNaKL | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=yes}}</ref><ref name="Mail 6 Dec">{{cite news |title= Were Russian security services behind the leak of 'Climategate' emails? |url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1233562/Emails-rocked-climate-change-campaign-leaked-Siberian-closed-city-university-built-KGB.html |work=Daily Mail |place=London |author=Stewart, Will |author2=Delgado, Martin |date =6 December 2009 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/611mWGbLz | archivedate = 2011-08-18| deadurl=no}}</ref> It also released 570,000 intercepts of pager messages sent on the day of the [[11 September attacks]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504383_162-5770280-504383.html?tag=mncol%3btxt/ |title=Egads! Confidential 9/11 Pager Messages Disclosed;November 2009 |work=CBS News |date=25 November 2009 |accessdate=31 December 2010 |first=Declan |last=McCullagh }}</ref> During 2008 and 2009, WikiLeaks published the alleged lists of forbidden or illegal web addresses for Australia, Denmark and Thailand. These were originally created to prevent access to [[child pornography]] and [[terrorism]], but the leaks revealed that other sites featuring unrelated subjects were also listed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/18/aussie_firewall_wikileaks/ |title=Aussie firewall blocks Wikileaks |work=The Register |place =London |author=Oates, John |date =18 March 2009 |accessdate=17 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131016213350/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/18/aussie_firewall_wikileaks/ | archivedate = 2013-10-16| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/03/19/1237054961100.html|title=Leaked Australian blacklist reveals banned sites |author=Moses, Asher |accessdate=19 March 2009 |date=19 March 2009 |work=Sydney Morning Herald | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131008013359/http://www.smh.com.au:80/articles/2009/03/19/1237054961100.html | archivedate = 2013-10-08| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Internet_Censorship_in_Thailand |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080116070133/http://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Internet_Censorship_in_Thailand |archivedate=16 January 2008 |title=Internet Censorship in Thailand |publisher=wikileaks.org |accessdate=17 June 2010}}</ref>

===2010===
{{main|Iraq War documents leak|Afghan War documents leak}}
In mid-February 2010, WikiLeaks received a leaked diplomatic cable from the US Embassy in Reykjavik relating to the [[Icesave dispute|Icesave]] scandal, which they published on 18 February.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/wiki/Classified_cable_from_US_Embassy_Reykjavik_on_Icesave,_13_Jan_2010 |title=Classified cable from US Embassy Reykjavik on Icesave, 13 Jan 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110708204401/http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Classified_cable_from_US_Embassy_Reykjavik_on_Icesave,_13_Jan_2010 | archivedate = 2011-07-08| deadurl=no}}. WikiLeaks. Retrieved 22 November 2011.</ref> The cable, known as [[Reykjavik 13]], was the first of the classified documents WikiLeaks published among those allegedly provided to them by US Army Private [[Chelsea Manning]] (then known as Bradley). In March 2010, WikiLeaks released a secret 32-page [[U.S. Department of Defense]] Counterintelligence Analysis Report written in March 2008 discussing the leaking of material by WikiLeaks and how it could be deterred.<ref name="USarmyintel">{{cite web |url= http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20000469-38.html |title= U.S. Army worried about Wikileaks in secret report |last= Mccullagh |first= Declan |work=[[CNET]] News |date =15 March 2010 |accessdate =15 March 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131012034413/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20000469-38.html | archivedate = 2013-10-12| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://wikileaks.org/file/us-intel-wikileaks.pdf |title= U.S. Intelligence planned to destroy WikiLeaks |archiveurl=http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/threatlevel/2010/03/wikithreat.pdf |archivedate=March 2010 |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=15 March 2010}}</ref><ref>Stephanie Strom, {{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/us/18wiki.html |title=Pentagon Sees a Threat From Online Muckrakers |work=The New York Times |first=Stephanie |last=Strom |date=17 March 2010}}, [[New York Times]], 17 March 2010.</ref> In April, a classified video of the [[12 July 2007 Baghdad airstrike]] was released, showing two [[Reuters]] employees being fired at, after the pilots mistakenly thought the men were carrying weapons, which were in fact cameras.<ref>{{cite news |title=Video Shows U.S. Killing of Reuters Employees |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/world/middleeast/06baghdad.html|date=6 April 2009 |work=The New York Times |author=Bumiller, Elisabeth; Stelter, Brian |accessdate=7 April 2010 }}</ref> After the mistaken killing, the video shows U.S. forces firing on a family van that stopped to pick up the bodies, constituting a war crime.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.netflix.com/WiPlayer?movieid=80003063 |title=WikiLeaks: War, Lies, and Videotape (2011 movie)  |place =France |date=12 September 2011 |agency=Production Co: Premières Lignes Télévision | archiveurl = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1799148/ | archivedate = 12 December 2014 }}</ref> In the week after the release, "wikileaks" was the search term with the most significant growth worldwide during the last seven days as measured by [[Google]] Insights.<ref name="Google">{{cite news |url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/current-google-insights-trends-wikileaks-posts-clasified-military-video-masters-1942629.html |title=Current Google Insights trends: Wikileaks posts classified military video, Masters |work=The Independent |place =London |date=12 April 2010 |agency=[[Relaxnews]] | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827012515/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/current-google-insights-trends-wikileaks-posts-clasified-military-video-masters-1942629.html | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=yes}}</ref> In June 2010, Manning was arrested after alleged chat logs were given to US authorities by former hacker [[Adrian Lamo]], in whom she had confided. Manning reportedly told Lamo she had leaked the [[Collateral Murder video|"Collateral Murder" video]], in addition to a video of the [[Granai airstrike]] and about 260,000 diplomatic cables, to WikiLeaks.<ref name="wired">{{cite news |url= http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/06/leak/ |authorlink1=Kevin Poulsen |first1=Kevin |last1=Poulsen |authorlink2=Kim Zetter |first2=Kim |last2=Zetter |title=U.S. Intelligence Analyst Arrested in Wikileaks Video Probe |work=Wired |place =New York |date=6 June 2010 |accessdate=15 June 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131027125007/http://www.wired.com:80/threatlevel/2010/06/leak/ | archivedate = 2013-10-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> In July, WikiLeaks released [[Afghan War documents leak|92,000 documents]] related to the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|war in Afghanistan]] between 2004 and the end of 2009 to the publications ''[[The Guardian]]'', ''[[The New York Times]]'' and ''[[Der Spiegel]]''. The documents detail individual incidents including "[[friendly fire]]" and civilian casualties.<ref name="guardian1">{{cite news |title=Afghanistan war logs: the unvarnished picture |newspaper=The Guardian |date=26 July 2010 |url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/25/afghanistan-war-logs-guardian-editorial?intcmp=239 |accessdate=26 July 2010 |place=London | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110728043710/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/25/afghanistan-war-logs-guardian-editorial?intcmp=239 | archivedate = 2011-07-28| deadurl=no}}</ref> At the end of July, a 1.4&nbsp;GB "[[#Insurance files|insurance file]]" was added to the Afghan War Diary page, whose decryption details would be released if WikiLeaks or Assange were harmed.<ref name="wired_insurance"/> About 15,000 of the 92,000 documents have not yet been released by WikiLeaks, as the group is currently reviewing the documents to remove some of the sources of the information. WikiLeaks asked the Pentagon and human-rights groups to help remove names from the documents to reduce the potential harm caused by their release, but did not receive assistance.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pentagon Slams WikiLeaks' Plan to Post More War Logs |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704407804575425900461793766.html?mod=WSJ_article_LatestHeadlines#articleTabs%3Darticle |accessdate=13 August 2010 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=12 August 2010 |author=Barnes, Julian E. |author2=Whalen, Jeanne |place =New York | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131015111311/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704407804575425900461793766.html?mod=WSJ_article_LatestHeadlines | archivedate = 2013-10-15| deadurl=no}}</ref> After the [[Love Parade stampede]] in [[Duisburg]], Germany, on 24 July 2010, a local resident published internal documents of the city administration regarding the planning of Love Parade. The city government reacted by securing a court order on 16 August forcing the removal of the documents from the website on which it was hosted.<ref>{{cite news |first=Konrad |last=Lischka |url= http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/netzpolitik/0,1518,712408,00.html |title=Einstweilige Verfügung&nbsp;– Duisburg verbietet Blogger-Veröffentlichung zur Love Parade |language=German |work=Der Spiegel |date =18 August 2010 |place =Hamburg | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101224220127/http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/netzpolitik/0,1518,712408,00.html | archivedate = 2010-12-24| deadurl=no}}</ref> On 20 August 2010, WikiLeaks released a publication entitled ''Loveparade 2010 Duisburg planning documents, 2007–2010'', which comprised 43 internal documents regarding the Love Parade 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=Loveparade 2010 Duisburg planning documents, 2007–2010 |url=http://mirror.wikileaks.info/wiki/Loveparade_2010_Duisburg_planning_documents,_2007-2010/ |publisher=Mirror.wikileaks.info |date=20 August 2010 |accessdate=17 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101217182117/http://mirror.wikileaks.info/wiki/Loveparade_2010_Duisburg_planning_documents,_2007-2010/ | archivedate = 2010-12-17| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.news.com.au/technology/wikileaks-releases-documents-on-love-parade-tragedy/story-e6frfrnr-1225908260011 |title= WikiLeaks releases documents on Love Parade tragedy |work=news.com.au Technology |date=21 August 2010 |agency=NewsCore |place =Sydney | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131012015126/http://www.news.com.au/technology/wikileaks-releases-documents-on-love-parade-tragedy/story-e6frfrnr-1225908260011 | archivedate = 2013-10-12| deadurl=no}}</ref> After the leak of information concerning the Afghan War, in October 2010, around [[Iraq War documents leak|400,000 documents]] relating to the [[Iraq War]] were released. The BBC quoted the US [[The Pentagon|Dept. of Defense]] referring to the Iraq War Logs as "the largest leak of classified documents in its history." Media coverage of the leaked documents emphasized claims that the U.S. government had ignored reports of [[torture]] by the Iraqi authorities during the period after the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 war]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Huge Wikileaks release shows US 'ignored Iraq torture' |work=BBC News |date=23 October 2010 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11611319 |accessdate=23 October 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110720082422/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11611319 | archivedate = 2011-07-20| deadurl=no}}</ref>

====Diplomatic cables release====
{{main|United States diplomatic cables leak|Contents of the United States diplomatic cables leak|l2=contents|Reactions to the United States diplomatic cables leak|l3=reactions}}

On 28 November 2010, WikiLeaks and five major newspapers from Spain (''[[El País]]''), France (''[[Le Monde]]''), Germany (''[[Der Spiegel]]''), the United Kingdom (''[[The Guardian]]''), and the United States (''[[The New York Times]]'') started simultaneously to publish the first 220 of 251,287 leaked documents labeled confidential{{spaced ndash}}but not top-secret and dated from 28 December 1966 to 28 February 2010.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shane |first=Scott |title=Leaked Cables Offer Raw Look at U.S. Diplomacy |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/world/29cables.html|accessdate=19 December 2010 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=28 November 2010 |author2=Lehren, Andrew W. }}</ref><ref name="manila">{{cite news |last=Suarez |first=Kris Danielle |url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/11/29/10/1796-memos-us-embassy-manila-wikileaks-cablegate |title=1,796 Memos from US Embassy in Manila in WikiLeaks 'Cablegate' |work=[[ABS-CBN News]] |date=30 November 2010 |accessdate=19 December 2010 |place =Manila | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/68wPGqsd0 | archivedate = 2012-07-05| deadurl=yes}}</ref> WikiLeaks plans to release the entirety of the cables in phases over several months.<ref name=manila/>

The [[Contents of the United States diplomatic cables leak|contents of the diplomatic cables]] include numerous unguarded comments and revelations regarding: critiques and praises about the host countries of various US embassies; political manoeuvring regarding [[climate change]]; discussion and resolutions towards ending ongoing tension in the Middle East; efforts and resistance towards [[nuclear disarmament]]; actions in the [[War on Terror]]; assessments of other threats around the world; dealings between various countries; US [[Military intelligence|intelligence]] and [[counterintelligence]] efforts; and other diplomatic actions. [[Reactions to the United States diplomatic cables leak|Reactions]] to the United States diplomatic cables leak varied. On 14 December 2010 the [[United States Department of Justice]] issued a [[Wikileaks-related Twitter subpoenas|subpoena directing Twitter]] to provide information for accounts registered to or associated with WikiLeaks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/01/07/twitter/subpoena.pdf |title=Twitter Subpoena |publisher=Salon |accessdate=10 January 2011}}</ref> Twitter decided to notify its users.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jan/08/us-twitter-hand-icelandic-wikileaks-messages |title=Icelandic MP fights US demand for her Twitter account details |work=The Guardian |place=London |author=Rushe, Dominic |date=8 January 2011 |accessdate=10 January 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110725200602/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jan/08/us-twitter-hand-icelandic-wikileaks-messages | archivedate = 2011-07-25| deadurl=no}}</ref> The [[2010–2011 Tunisian protests|overthrow of the presidency in Tunisia]] of 2011 has been attributed partly to reaction against the corruption revealed by leaked cables.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/13/tunisia-youth-revolution |title=Tunisia's youth finally has revolution on its mind |work='Comment is Free' blog (The Guardian) |author="Sam" |date=13 January 2011 |accessdate=20 January 2011 |place=London | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130126223120/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/13/tunisia-youth-revolution | archivedate = 2013-01-26| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1347336/Tunisia-riots-blamed-cables-revealed-countrys-corruption-dubbed-First-Wikileaks-Revolution.html?ito=feeds-newsxml |title='First Wikileaks Revolution': Tunisia descends into anarchy as president flees after cables reveal country's corruption |work=Daily Mail |date=15 January 2011 |accessdate=20 January 2011 |place=London }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://wikileaks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/13/wikileaks_and_the_tunisia_protests?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4d2ffe4d9c2649d7,1 |title=The First WikiLeaks Revolution? |author=Dickinson, Elizabeth |date=13 January 2011 |work=Foreign Policy |place =Washington DC |accessdate=20 January 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209174447/http://wikileaks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/13/wikileaks_and_the_tunisia_protests?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4d2ffe4d9c2649d7,1 | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref>

===2011–2013===
{{main|Guantanamo Bay files leak|Global Intelligence Files leak|Syria Files}}

In late April 2011, files related to the Guantanamo prison were released.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/gitmo/ |title=The Guantanamo Files |publisher=WikiLeaks |accessdate=2 December 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140326090615/http://wikileaks.org/gitmo/ | archivedate = 2014-03-26| deadurl=no}}</ref> In December 2011, WikiLeaks started to release the ''Spy Files''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/the-spyfiles.html |title=The Spy Files |publisher=WikiLeaks |accessdate=2 December 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140326090333/https://www.wikileaks.org/the-spyfiles.html | archivedate = 2014-03-26| deadurl=no}}</ref> On 27 February 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing more than five million emails from the Texas-headquartered "global intelligence" company [[Stratfor]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/the-gifiles.html |title=The Global Intelligence Files |publisher=WikiLeaks |accessdate=28 February 2012 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6BwoDUR4Z | archivedate = 2012-11-05| deadurl=no}}</ref>

On 5 July 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing the [[Syria Files]], more than two million emails from Syrian political figures, ministries and associated companies, dating from August 2006 to March 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wikileaks.org/syria-files/|title=Syria Files|publisher=WikiLeaks|accessdate=5 July 2012|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/68vYe4oqp|archivedate=5 July 2012|deadurl=no}}</ref>

On Thursday, 25 October 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing [[The Detainee Policies]], more than 100 classified or otherwise restricted files from the United States Department of Defense covering the rules and procedures for detainees in U.S. military custody.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wikileaks.org/Press-Release-The-Detainee.html |title=Press Release: The Detainee Policies |publisher=Wikileaks.org |date=2012-10-25 |accessdate=2012-11-19 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140407091518/https://wikileaks.org/Press-Release-The-Detainee.html | archivedate = 2014-04-07| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In April 2013 WikiLeaks published more than 1.7 million U.S. diplomatic and intelligence documents from the 1970s. These documents included the [[Kissinger cables]].<ref>{{cite news|title=WikiLeaks to release US diplomatic and intelligence documents from 1970s |url=http://www.news.com.au/world-news/wikileaks-to-release-us-diplomatic-and-intelligence-documents-from-1970s/story-fndir2ev-1226614842160|publisher=news.com.au|accessdate=8 April 2013 |date=8 April 2013| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130408092632/http://www.news.com.au/world-news/wikileaks-to-release-us-diplomatic-and-intelligence-documents-from-1970s/story-fndir2ev-1226614842160 | archivedate = 2013-04-08| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In September 2013 [[Dagens Næringsliv]] said that WikiLeaks, on the previous evening, had published on its website "the whereabouts of 20 chiefs of European [[surveillance technology]] companies, during the last year".<ref name="SpyFiles3">{{cite web|author=DN.no |url=http://www.dn.no/forsiden/utenriks/article2676194.ece |title=Wikileaks overvåket 20 overvåkningssjefer |publisher=Dn.no |date= |accessdate=2014-03-02| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131010012941/http://www.dn.no:80/forsiden/utenriks/article2676194.ece | archivedate = 2013-10-10| deadurl=no}}</ref> This was part of WikiLeaks [[Spy Files 3]] project, which was a release of close to<ref name="SpyFiles3"/> 250 documents from more than 90 surveillance companies.

On 13 November 2013 a complete draft of the [[Trans-Pacific Partnership|Trans-Pacific Partnership's]] Intellectual Property Rights chapter was published by WikiLeaks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/nov/13/wikileaks-trans-pacific-partnership-chapter-secret |title=WikiLeaks publishes secret draft chapter of Trans-Pacific Partnership |first=Steven |last=Musil |publisher= ''The Guardian'' (UK) |date=12 November 2013 |accessdate=15 November 2013| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209164317/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/nov/13/wikileaks-trans-pacific-partnership-chapter-secret | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://wikileaks.org/tpp/|title=Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) |publisher=Wikileaks |accessdate=13 November 2013| archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6L6TIw5uo | archivedate = 2013-11-13| deadurl=no}}</ref>

===Announcements of upcoming leaks===
In May 2010, WikiLeaks said it had video footage of a massacre of civilians in Afghanistan by the US military which they were preparing to release.<ref name="campbell">{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7094234.ece |title=Whistleblowers on US 'massacre' fear CIA stalkers |date=11 April 2010 |work=The Sunday Times |author=Campbell, Matthew |place=London |accessdate=12 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110814061024/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7094234.ece | archivedate = 2011-08-14| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=WikiLeaks works to expose government secrets, but Web site's sources are a mystery |first=Joby |last=Warrick |work=The Washington Post |date=19 May 2010 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/19/AR2010051905333.html |accessdate=21 May 2010 }}</ref>

In an interview with [[Chris Anderson (entrepreneur)|Chris Anderson]] on 19 July 2010, Assange showed a document WikiLeaks had on an Albanian oil-well blowout, and said they also had material from inside [[BP|British Petroleum]],<ref name="tedinterview">{{cite video |title=Julian Assange: Why the world needs WikiLeaks |people=[[Chris Anderson (entrepreneur)|Anderson, Chris]] |publisher=[[TED (conference)|TED]]|time=11:28|quote=November last year... well blowouts in Albania... Have you had information from inside BP? Yeah, we have a lot... |url=http://www.ted.com/talks/julian_assange_why_the_world_needs_wikileaks.html |date=July 2010 |medium=Videotape |ref=Assange2010ted |accessdate=2 August 2010| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827013033/http://www.ted.com/talks/julian_assange_why_the_world_needs_wikileaks.html | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> and that they were "getting enormous quantity of whistle-blower disclosures of a very high calibre" but added that they had not been able to verify and release the material because they did not have enough volunteer journalists.<ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Galant |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/07/16/wikileaks.disclosures/ |title=WikiLeaks founder: Site getting tons of 'high caliber' disclosures |work=CNN |date=16 July 2010 |accessdate=1 August 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131022000633/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/07/16/wikileaks.disclosures/ | archivedate = 2013-10-22| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In October 2010, Assange told a major Moscow newspaper that "The Kremlin had better brace itself for a coming wave of WikiLeaks disclosures about Russia".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1329561/Wikileaks-Russian-corruption-expose-plan-linked-Alexander-Lebedev-bank-raid.html |title=Bank raid could have been warning against planned WikiLeaks Russian corruption expose says Alexander Lebedev |first1=Glen |last1=Owen |first2=Will |last2=Stewart |date=14 November 2010 |newspaper=Mail on Sunday |accessdate=28 November 2010 |place=London | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827141611/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1329561/Wikileaks-Russian-corruption-expose-plan-linked-Alexander-Lebedev-bank-raid.html | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Fred |last=Weir |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/1026/WikiLeaks-ready-to-drop-a-bombshell-on-Russia.-But-will-Russians-get-to-read-about-it |title=WikiLeaks ready to drop a bombshell on Russia. But will Russians get to read about it? |work= The Christian Science Monitor |date=26 October 2010 |accessdate=29 November 2010 |place =Boston | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827142121/http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/1026/WikiLeaks-ready-to-drop-a-bombshell-on-Russia.-But-will-Russians-get-to-read-about-it | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> Assange later clarified: "we have material on many businesses and governments, including in Russia. It's not right to say there's going to be a particular focus on Russia".<ref name="Forbes">{{cite news |title=An Interview With WikiLeaks' Julian Assange |first=Andy |last=Greenberg |newspaper=Forbes |date=29 November 2010 |place =New York |url=http://blogs.forbes.com/andygreenberg/2010/11/29/an-interview-with-wikileaks-julian-assange/2/ |accessdate=1 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5udDlUDwR | archivedate = 2010-11-30| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In a 2009 interview by the magazine ''[[Computerworld]]'', Assange claimed to be in possession of "5GB from [[Bank of America]]". In 2010, he told ''[[Forbes]]'' magazine that WikiLeaks was planning another "megaleak" early in 2011, from the private sector, involving "a big U.S. bank" and revealing an "ecosystem of corruption". Bank of America's stock price decreased by 3%, apparently as a result of this announcement.<ref name="bankofamerica1">{{cite news |title=Bank of America rumored to be in WikiLeaks' crosshairs |first=Rick |last=Rothacker |newspaper=The China Post |place =Taipei |agency=McClatchy Newspapers |url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/americas/2010/12/02/282108/p1/Bank-of.htm |date=1 December 2010 |accessdate=1 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209222243/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/americas/2010/12/02/282108/p1/Bank-of.htm | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name="bankofamerica2">{{cite news |first=Mark |last=Memmott |title=Bank Of America Stock Steadies After WikiLeaks-Related Drop |url=http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/12/01/131727190/bank-of-america-stock-steadies-after-wikileaks-related-drop |accessdate=2 December 2010 |work=The Two-way (NPR news blog) |publisher=National Public Radio |place =Washington DC |date=1 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209194105/http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/12/01/131727190/bank-of-america-stock-steadies-after-wikileaks-related-drop | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref> Assange commented on the possible effect of the release that "it could take down a bank or two."<ref name="bankofamerica3">{{cite news |last=De La Merced |first=Michael J. |title=WikiLeaks' Next Target: Bank of America? |url=http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/wikileaks-next-target-bank-of-america/ |accessdate=2 December 2010 |work=DealBook (New York Times blog) |date=30 November 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=John |last=Carney |url=http://www.cnbc.com/id/40471184/ |title=Bank of America's Risky WikiLeaks Strategy |work=CNBC |date=2 December 2010 |accessdate=5 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140212153613/http://www.cnbc.com/id/40471184 | archivedate = 2014-02-12| deadurl=no}}</ref> In August 2011, [[Reuters]] announced that [[Daniel Domscheit-Berg]] had destroyed approximately 5GB of data cache from [[Bank of America]], that Assange had under his control.<ref>{{cite news |title=Some of WikiLeaks' Bank of America data destroyed |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/22/us-bankofamerica-wikileaks-idUSTRE77L55P20110822 |work=Reuters |date=22 August 2011|accessdate=20 August 2012 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20111011150806/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/22/us-bankofamerica-wikileaks-idUSTRE77L55P20110822 | archivedate = 2011-10-11| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In December 2010, Assange's lawyer, [[Mark Stephens (solicitor)|Mark Stephens]], told ''[[The Andrew Marr Show]]'' on BBC Television that WikiLeaks had information it considered to be a "thermo-nuclear device" which it would release if the organisation needs to defend itself against the authorities.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11921080 |title=Wikileaks' Julian Assange to fight Swedish allegations |work=BBC News |date=5 December 2010 |accessdate=5 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827135254/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11921080 | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref>

In January 2011, [[Rudolf Elmer]], a former Swiss banker, passed data containing account details of 2,000 prominent people to Assange, who stated that the information will be vetted before being made publicly available at a later date.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wikileaks given data on Swiss bank accounts |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12205690 |work=BBC News |date=17 January 2011 |accessdate=17 January 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110718233352/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12205690 | archivedate = 2011-07-18| deadurl=no}}</ref>

==Other activities==
[[File:Day 9 Occupy Wall Street September 25 2011 Shankbone 15.JPG|thumb|A truck bearing a slogan and WikiLeaks logo as a prop at the [[Occupy Wall Street]] protest in New York on 25 September 2011]]
In 2013, the organisation assisted [[Edward Snowden]] (who is responsible for the [[2013 mass surveillance disclosures]]) in leaving [[Hong Kong]]. [[Sarah Harrison (journalist)|Sarah Harrison]], a WikiLeaks activist, accompanied Snowden on the flight. Scott Shane of ''[[The New York Times]]'' stated that the WikiLeaks involvement "shows that despite its shoestring staff, limited fund-raising from a boycott by major financial firms, and defections prompted by Mr. Assange's personal troubles and abrasive style, it remains a force to be reckoned with on the global stage."<ref>Shane, Scott. "[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/world/offering-snowden-aid-wikileaks-gets-back-in-the-game.html?ref=asia Offering Snowden Aid, WikiLeaks Gets Back in the Game]." ''[[The New York Times]]''. 23 June 2013. Retrieved on 25 June 2013. {{dead link|date=May 2014}}</ref>

== Internal conflicts ==

===Restructuring===
Some sympathizers were unhappy{{Citation needed|date=October 2011}} when WikiLeaks ended a community-based [[wiki]] format in favor of a more centralised organisation. The "about" page originally read:<ref name="whatis">{{cite web |title=What is WikiLeaks? How does WikiLeaks operate? |url=http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:About#What_is_WikiLeaks.3F_How_does_WikiLeaks_operate.3F |work=WikiLeaks |year=2008 |accessdate=28 February 2008 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080216000537/http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:About#What_is_WikiLeaks.3F_How_does_WikiLeaks_operate.3F |archivedate = 16 February 2008}}</ref>

{{Quote|text=To the user, WikiLeaks will look very much like Wikipedia. Anybody can post to it, anybody can edit it. No technical knowledge is required. Leakers can post documents anonymously and untraceably. Users can publicly discuss documents and analyze their credibility and veracity. Users can discuss interpretations and context and collaboratively formulate collective publications. Users can read and write explanatory articles on leaks along with background material and context. The political relevance of documents and their verisimilitude will be revealed by a cast of thousands.}}

However, WikiLeaks established an editorial policy that accepted only documents that were "of political, diplomatic, historical or ethical interest" (and excluded "material that is already publicly available").<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:Submissions |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419013425/http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:Submissions |archivedate=19 April 2008 |title=WikiLeaks' submissions page |publisher=WikiLeaks |accessdate=17 June 2010}}</ref> This coincided with early criticism that having no editorial policy would drive out good material with spam and promote "automated or indiscriminate publication of confidential records."<ref>{{cite news |title=Wikileaks and untraceable document disclosure |url=http://fas.org/blogs/secrecy/2007/01/wikileaks_and_untraceable_docu/ |work=Secrecy News |publisher=Federation of American Scientists |date=3 January 2007 |accessdate=21 August 2008 |author=Aftergood, Steven | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130311214041/http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/01/wikileaks_and_untraceable_docu.html | archivedate = 2013-03-11| deadurl=no}}</ref> It is no longer possible for anybody to post to it or edit it, in any country, as the original FAQ promised. Instead, submissions are regulated by an internal review process and some are published, while documents not conforming to the editorial criteria are rejected by anonymous WikiLeaks reviewers. By 2008, the revised FAQ stated that "Anybody can post comments to it. [...] Users can publicly discuss documents and analyse their credibility and veracity."<ref>{{cite web |title=What is Wikileaks? How does Wikileaks operate? |url=https://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:About#What_is_Wikileaks.3F_How_does_Wikileaks_operate.3F |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080504122032/http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:About#What_is_Wikileaks.3F_How_does_Wikileaks_operate.3F |archivedate=4 May 2008 |work=WikiLeaks |year=2008}}</ref> After the 2010 reorganization, posting new comments on leaks was no longer possible.<ref name="wikigone">{{cite news |url=http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/05/wikileaks-assange-returns |title=WikiLeaks Gets A Facelift |work= Mother Jones |place =San Francisco |author=Gilson, Dave |date=19 May 2010 |accessdate=17 June 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140429130452/http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2010/05/wikileaks-assange-returns | archivedate = 2014-04-29| deadurl=no}}</ref>

===Defections===
Within WikiLeaks, there has been public disagreement between founder and spokesperson [[Julian Assange]] and [[Daniel Domscheit-Berg]], the website's former German representative who was suspended by Assange. Domscheit-Berg announced on 28 September 2010 that he was leaving the organisation due to internal conflicts over management of the website.<ref name="bates">{{cite news |author=Bates, Theunis |url=http://www.aolnews.com/2010/09/28/wikileaks-woes-grow-as-spokesman-quits-site/ |title=WikiLeaks' Woes Grow as Spokesman Quits Site |work =AOL News |date=28 September 2010 |accessdate=22 October 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209122932/http://www.aolnews.com/2010/09/28/wikileaks-woes-grow-as-spokesman-quits-site/ | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Raphael G. |last=Satter |url=http://www.physorg.com/news205093515.html |work=PhysOrg.com |title=WikiLeaks chief lashes out at media during debate |agency=Associated Press |date=30 September 2010 |accessdate=22 October 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101020041136/http://www.physorg.com/news205093515.html | archivedate = 2010-10-20| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Blodget |first=Henry |authorlink=Henry Blodget |title=WikiLeaks Spokesman Quits, Blasts Founder Julian Assange As Paranoid Control Freak, Admits To Using Fake Name |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/09/28/businessinsider-wikileaks-spokesman-quits.DTL |date=28 September 2010 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |accessdate=12 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20120306180126/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/09/28/businessinsider-wikileaks-spokesman-quits.DTL | archivedate = 2012-03-06| deadurl=no}}</ref>

[[File:Assange Domscheit-Berg.jpg|thumb|Julian Assange (left) with Daniel Domscheit-Berg. Domscheit-Berg was ejected from WikiLeaks and started a rival "[[whistleblower]]" organisation named OpenLeaks.]]
On 25 September 2010, after being suspended by Assange for "disloyalty, insubordination and destabilization," Daniel Domscheit-Berg, the German spokesman for WikiLeaks, told ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' that he was resigning, saying "WikiLeaks has a structural problem. I no longer want to take responsibility for it, and that's why I am leaving the project."<ref name="spiegel20100927">{{cite news |url= http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,719619,00.html |title= WikiLeaks Spokesman Quits |work =Spiegel International |place =Hamburg |date =27 September 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101130022133/http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,719619,00.html | archivedate = 2010-11-30| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-1356330/Julian-Assange-book-Inside-WikiLeaks-Daniel-Domscheit-Berg.html?ito=feeds-newsxml |place=London |work=Daily Mail |first=Craig |last=Brown |title=War of the WikiFreaks: Inside WikiLeaks by Daniel Domscheit-Berg (book review) |date=12 February 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131220225920/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-1356330/Julian-Assange-book-Inside-WikiLeaks-Daniel-Domscheit-Berg.html?ito=feeds-newsxml | archivedate = 2013-12-20| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name="wikileaksrevolt">{{cite news |url= http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/09/wikileaks-revolt/ |title= Unpublished Iraq War Logs Trigger Internal WikiLeaks Revolt |work= Wired |place =New York |date =27 September 2010 |author = Poulsen, Kevin |author2 =Zetter, Kim |accessdate =14 February 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131020030321/http://www.wired.com:80/threatlevel/2010/09/wikileaks-revolt | archivedate = 2013-10-20| deadurl=no}}</ref> Assange accused Domscheit-Berg of leaking information to ''[[Newsweek]]'', claiming the WikiLeaks team was unhappy with Assange's management and handling of the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghan war]] document releases.<ref name="wikileaksrevolt" /> Domscheit-Berg left with a small group to start [[OpenLeaks]], a new leak organisation and website with a different management and distribution philosophy.<ref name="spiegel20100927"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Nordstrom |first=Louise |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/10/former-wikileaks-worker-rival-site-under-way/ |title=Former WikiLeaks worker: Rival site under way |newspaper=[[The Washington Times]] |date=10 December 2010 |accessdate=13 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131025045922/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/10/former-wikileaks-worker-rival-site-under-way/ | archivedate = 2013-10-25| deadurl=no}}</ref>

While leaving, Daniel Domscheit-Berg copied and then deleted roughly 3,500 unpublished documents from the WikiLeaks servers,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/02/10/germany.openleaks.wikileaks/index.html |title=WikiLeaks defector blasts Assange in book – CNN.com |date=12 February 2011| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131022023545/http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/02/10/germany.openleaks.wikileaks/index.html | archivedate = 2013-10-22| deadurl=no}}. Edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 22 November 2011.</ref> including information on the US government's 'no-fly list' and inside information from 20 right-wing organizations, and according to a WikiLeaks statement, 5&nbsp;gigabytes of data relating to Bank of America, the internal communications of 20 neo-Nazi organisations and US intercept information for "over a hundred internet companies."<ref name="BBC_14616899">{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14616899 |title=Ex-Wikileaks man 'deleted files' |date=22 August 2011 |work=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=3 December 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131020210919/http://www.bbc.co.uk:80/news/technology-14616899 | archivedate = 2013-10-20| deadurl=no}}</ref> In Domscheit-Berg's book he wrote: "To this day, we are waiting for Julian to restore security, so that we can return the material to him, which was on the submission platform."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/02/wikileaks-book/all/1 |title=WikiLeaks Defector Slams Assange In Tell-All Book  Threat Level |work=Wired |first=Kim |last=Zetter |date=10 February 2011| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209220641/http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/02/wikileaks-book/all/1 | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}. Wired.com (10 February 2011). Retrieved 22 November 2011.</ref> In August 2011, Domscheit-Berg claims he permanently deleted the files "in order to ensure that the sources are not compromised."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,781581,00.html |title=Assange Battle Escalates: Ex-Wikileaks Spokesman Destroyed Unpublished Files – SPIEGEL ONLINE – News – International | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110830185102/http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,781581,00.html | archivedate = 2011-08-30| deadurl=no}}. Spiegel.de. Retrieved 22 November 2011.</ref>

Herbert Snorrason, a 25-year-old Icelandic university student, resigned after he challenged Assange on his decision to suspend Domscheit-Berg and was bluntly rebuked.<ref name="wikileaksrevolt" /> Iceland MP [[Birgitta Jónsdóttir]] also left WikiLeaks, citing lack of transparency, lack of structure, and poor communication flow in the organisation.<ref>{{cite news|title =Q&A: Former WikiLeaks spokeswoman Birgitta Jonsdottir |url= http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/15/qa-former-wikileaks-spokeswoman-birgitta-jonsdottir/ |work= National Post |author =McMahon, Tamsin |date =17 January 2011 |accessdate =14 February 2011 |place =Toronto | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110831145408/http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/15/qa-former-wikileaks-spokeswoman-birgitta-jonsdottir/ | archivedate = 2011-08-31| deadurl=no}}</ref> According to the periodical ''[[The Independent]]'' (London), at least a dozen key supporters of WikiLeaks left the website during 2010.<ref>{{cite news |last=Taylor |first=Jerome |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/secret-war-at-the-heart-of-wikileaks-2115637.html |title=Secret war at the heart of Wikileaks |work=The Independent |place=London |date=25 October 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140312085337/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/secret-war-at-the-heart-of-wikileaks-2115637.html | archivedate = 2014-03-12| deadurl=yes}}</ref>

== Reception ==
{{main|Reception of WikiLeaks}}
[[File:Bilbao - Ribera de Deusto 04.JPG|thumb|[[Graffiti]] in [[Bilbao]] "We want to know."]]

WikiLeaks has received praise as well as criticism. The organisation has won a number of awards, including ''[[The Economist]]'s'' New Media Award in 2008 at the Index on Censorship Awards<ref>{{cite web|title=Winners of Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards Announced|url=http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2008/04/winners-of-index-on-censorship-freedom-of-expression-award-announced/|publisher=Index on Censorship|accessdate=15 December 2010|date=22 April 2008 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6CfopdCAg | archivedate = 2012-12-05| deadurl=no}}</ref> and [[Amnesty International]]'s UK Media Award in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Cry of Blood. Report on Extra-Judicial Killings and Disappearances|url=http://www.ediec.org/library/item/id/402/|publisher=Kenya National Commission on Human Rights|accessdate=15 December 2010|year=2008 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209122323/http://www.ediec.org/library/item/id/402/ | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=Amnesty announces Media Awards 2009 winners |url=http://amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=18227 |publisher=Amnesty International UK |accessdate=15 December 2010 |date=2 June 2009 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131022182928/http://amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=18227 | archivedate = 2013-10-22| deadurl=yes}}</ref> In 2010, the New York ''[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]'' listed WikiLeaks first among websites "that could totally change the news,"<ref name="5sites">{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2010/05/20/2010-05-20_5_pioneering_web_sites_that_could_totally_change_the_news.html |title=5 pioneering Web sites that could totally change the news |last=Reso |first=Paulina |date=20 May 2010 |work=Daily News |place=New York |accessdate=8 June 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110827012650/http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2010/05/20/2010-05-20_5_pioneering_web_sites_that_could_totally_change_the_news.html | archivedate = 2011-08-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> and Julian Assange received the [[Sam Adams Award]]<ref>{{cite web |last=Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence |title=WikiLeaks and Assange Honored |url=http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/102410a.html |publisher=Consortium News |accessdate=22 February 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140402104914/http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/102410a.html | archivedate = 2014-04-02| deadurl=no}}</ref> and was named the Readers' Choice for [[Time Person of the Year|''TIME's Person of the Year'']] in 2010.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friedman |first=Megan |title=Julian Assange: Readers' Choice for TIME's Person of the Year 2010 |url=http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/12/13/julian-assange-readers-choice-for-times-person-of-the-year-2010/ |accessdate=15 December 2010 |newspaper=Time |place =New York |date=13 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131027124723/http://newsfeed.time.com:80/2010/12/13/julian-assange-readers-choice-for-times-person-of-the-year-2010/ | archivedate = 2013-10-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> The UK [[Information Commissioner's Office|Information Commissioner]] has stated that "WikiLeaks is part of the phenomenon of the online, empowered citizen."<ref>{{cite news |author=Curtis, Polly |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/30/wikileaks-freedom-information-ministers-government |title=Ministers must 'wise up not clam up' after WikiLeaks disclosures |work=The Guardian |place=London |date=30 December 2010 |accessdate=1 January 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110327023338/http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/30/wikileaks-freedom-information-ministers-government | archivedate = 2011-03-27| deadurl=no}}</ref> During its first days, an [[Internet petition]] calling for the cessation of extra-judicial intimidation of WikiLeaks attracted more than six hundred thousand signatures.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/media-says-governments-reaction-to-wikileaks-troubling-20101214-18vrb.html |title=Media says government's reaction to WikiLeaks 'troubling' |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=28 December 2010 |date=14 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209151331/http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/media-says-governments-reaction-to-wikileaks-troubling-20101214-18vrb.html | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref> Sympathizers of WikiLeaks in the media and academia have commended it for exposing state and corporate secrets, increasing transparency, assisting freedom of the press, and enhancing democratic discourse while challenging powerful institutions.<ref>{{cite news |author=Kampfner, John |title= Wikileaks shows up our media for their docility at the feet of authority |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/john-kampfner-wikileaks-shows-up-our-media-for-their-docility-at-the-feet-of-authority-2146211.html |accessdate=19 December 2010 |newspaper=The Independent |date=29 November 2010 |place=London | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20120629145243/http://www.independent.co.uk:80/opinion/commentators/john-kampfner-wikileaks-shows-up-our-media-for-their-docility-at-the-feet-of-authority-2146211.html | archivedate = 2012-06-29| deadurl=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Shafer |first=Jack |title=Why I Love WikiLeaks |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2276312/ |accessdate=19 December 2010 |newspaper=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |date=30 November 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110113032713/http://www.slate.com/id/2276312 | archivedate = 2011-01-13| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Greenwald |first=Glenn |title=WikiLeaks reveals more than just government secrets |url=http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/11/30/wikileaks/index.html |accessdate=19 December 2010 |work=[[Salon.com]] |date=30 November 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110113112018/http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/11/30/wikileaks/index.html | archivedate = 2011-01-13| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gilmore |first=Dan |title=Defend WikiLeaks or lose free speech |url=http://www.salon.com/technology/dan_gillmor/2010/12/06/war_on_speech |accessdate=19 December 2010 |work=[[Salon.com]] |date=6 December 2010| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110101093621/http://www.salon.com/technology/dan_gillmor/2010/12/06/war_on_speech | archivedate = 2011-01-01| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=First, They Came for WikiLeaks. Then... |url=http://www.thenation.com/article/157017/first-they-came-wikileaks-then |accessdate=19 May 2011 |newspaper=[[The Nation]] |place =New York |date=27 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110627055730/http://www.thenation.com/article/157017/first-they-came-wikileaks-then | archivedate = 2011-06-27| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Where's the democracy in hunting Wikileaks off the Net? |url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/medb-ruane/medb-ruane-wheres-the-democracy-in-hunting-wikileaks-off-the-net-2456960.html |accessdate=19 December 2010 |newspaper=Irish Independent |place=Dublin |date=11 December 2010 |author=Ruane, Medb }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.epw.in/commentary/wikileaks-new-information-cultures-and-digital-parrhesia.html |title=WikiLeaks, the New Information Cultures and Digital Parrhesia |work= [[Economic and Political Weekly]] |author=Nayar, Pramod K. |place =Mumbai |date=25 December 2010 |accessdate=8 January 2011|archiveurl=http://www.scribd.com/doc/46408732/WikiLeaks-the-New-Information-Cultures-and-Digital-Parrhesia-by-P-Nayar|archivedate=1 September 2013}}</ref>

At the same time, several U.S. government officials have criticized WikiLeaks for exposing classified information and claimed that the leaks harm national security and compromise [[international diplomacy]].<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/16/congress-mulls-stop-wikileaks-tracks/ |title=Congress Mulls How to Stop WikiLeaks in Its Tracks |work =Fox News |date=7 April 2010 |accessdate=17 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131103062429/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/16/congress-mulls-stop-wikileaks-tracks/ | archivedate = 2013-11-03| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name="'LA Times US tries'">{{cite news | first = Paul | last = Richter | title = U.S. tries to contain damage from WikiLeaks disclosures | date = 19 November 2010 | url = http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/sc-dc-1130-wikileaks-20101129,0,2557036.story | work = Los Angeles Times | accessdate =14 March 2012 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20101129222358/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/sc-dc-1130-wikileaks-20101129,0,2557036.story | archivedate = 29 November 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/45791.html |author=Epstein, Jennifer |title=Bill Clinton: WikiLeaks will cost lives |work=Politico |date=1 December 2010 |accessdate=17 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20120828070247/http://www.politico.com:80/news/stories/1210/45791.html | archivedate = 2012-08-28| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name="'AFP Clinton blasts'">{{cite news | title = Clinton blasts 'deeply distressing' leak of US sites | date = 6 December 2010 | url = http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g6IJsJmC5_Ud2cLLJ2n0AJ9FZRcg?docId=CNG.3c86e1065eee2cfd740284f4a84f3555.361 | work = AFP | accessdate =14 March 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,733088,00.html |title=Outrage and Apologies: Washington Fights to Rebuild Battered Reputation |work= Spiegel International |date=6 December 2010 |accessdate=17 December 2010 |place =Hamburg | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110725173914/http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,733088,00.html | archivedate = 2011-07-25| deadurl=no}}</ref> Several human rights organisations requested with respect to earlier document releases that WikiLeaks adequately redact the names of civilians working with international forces, in order to prevent repercussions.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/wikileaks-asked-to-censor-secret-files/story-e6frf7jx-1225903715328 |title=WikiLeaks asked to censor secret files |work =Herald Sun |place =Melbourne |date=11 August 2010 |accessdate=17 December 2010 |agency=Associated Press | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140322021625/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/wikileaks-asked-to-censor-secret-files/story-e6frf7jx-1225903715328 | archivedate = 2014-03-22| deadurl=no}}</ref> Some journalists have likewise criticised a perceived lack of editorial discretion when releasing thousands of documents at once and without sufficient analysis.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.rsf.org/united-states-open-letter-to-wikileaks-founder-12-08-2010,38130.html |title=Open letter to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange: "A bad precedent for the Internet's future" |publisher=Reporters Sans Frontières |date=12 August 2010 |accessdate=17 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140328200448/http://en.rsf.org/united-states-open-letter-to-wikileaks-founder-12-08-2010,38130.html | archivedate = 2014-03-28| deadurl=no}}</ref> In response to some of the negative reaction, the UN [[High Commissioner for Human Rights]] has expressed concern over the "cyber war" against WikiLeaks,<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37009&Cr=leaked&Cr1 |title=UN human rights chief voices concern at reported 'cyber war' against WikiLeaks |publisher=United Nations |date=9 December 2010 |accessdate=28 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140420125618/http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37009&Cr=leaked&Cr1 | archivedate = 2014-04-20| deadurl=yes}}</ref> and in a joint statement with the [[Organization of American States]] the UN [[United Nations Special Rapporteur|Special Rapporteur]] has called on states and other actors to keep international legal principles in mind.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cidh.oas.org/relatoria/showarticle.asp?artID=829&lID=1 |title=Joint Statement on WikiLeaks |publisher=[[Organization of American States]] |accessdate=28 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5vCiIwWBC | archivedate = 2010-12-24| deadurl=no}}</ref> According to journalist [[Catherine A. Fitzpatrick]], WikiLeaks is motivated by "a theory of [[anarchy]]," not a theory of journalism or social activism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/video_debate_is_wikileaks_good_for_the_world/2251158.html |title= Video Debate: Is WikiLeaks Good For The World? |publisher=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]] |accessdate=21 October 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140210005726/http://www.rferl.org/content/video_debate_is_wikileaks_good_for_the_world/2251158.html | archivedate = 2014-02-10| deadurl=no}}</ref>

== Spin-offs ==
Release of US diplomatic cables was followed by the creation of a number of other organisations based on the WikiLeaks format.<ref>{{cite news |author=Piven, Ben |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2010/12/20101216194828514847.html |title=Copycat WikiLeaks sites make waves&nbsp;– Features |work=Al Jazeera English |date=17 December 2010 |accessdate=18 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20110108150656/http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2010/12/20101216194828514847.html | archivedate = 2011-01-08| deadurl=no}}</ref>
* [[OpenLeaks]] was created by a former WikiLeaks spokesperson. [[Daniel Domscheit-Berg]] said the intention was to be more transparent than WikiLeaks. OpenLeaks was supposed to start public operations in early 2011 but despite much media coverage, {{as of|2013|April|lc=y}} it is not operating.
* In December 2011, WikiLeaks launched ''Friends of WikiLeaks'', a social network for supporters and founders of the website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netzwelt.de/news/89988-wikileaks-enthuellungsplattform-gruendet-soziales-netzwerk.html |title=Wikileaks launches Social Network |publisher=Netzwelt.de |date=19 December 2011 |accessdate=24 August 2012 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140324015155/http://www.netzwelt.de/news/89988-wikileaks-enthuellungsplattform-gruendet-soziales-netzwerk.html | archivedate = 2014-03-24| deadurl=no}}</ref>
* Brussels Leaks emphasized the European Union as a collaborative effort of media professionals and activists that sought to "pull the shady inner workings of the EU system out into the public domain. This is about getting important information out there, not about Brusselsleaks [or any other 'leaks' for that matter]."
* TradeLeaks was created to "do to trade and commerce what WikiLeaks has done to politics." It was initiated by Australian Ruslan Kogan. Its goal is to ensure "individuals and businesses should attain values from others through mutually beneficial and fully consensual trade, rather than force, fraud or deception." However, the website itself seems to have become discounted by its users, as evidenced by the highest rated article being "Tradeleaks tampering with leak vote count mechanism".
* Balkan Leaks was initiated by Bulgarian Atanas Chobanov in order to make [[Balkans|Balkan]] politics more transparent and to fight corruption as "There are plenty of people out there that want to change the Balkans for good and are ready to take on the challenge. We're offering them a hand."
* Indoleaks is an [[Bahasa Indonesia|Indonesian]] website that seeks to publish classified documents primarily from the Indonesian government.
* On 9 September 2013 <ref>{{cite web|title=Vanaf vandaag: anoniem lekken naar media via doorgeefluik Publeaks|url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2694/Tech-Media/article/detail/3506349/2013/09/09/Vanaf-vandaag-anoniem-lekken-naar-media-via-doorgeefluik-Publeaks.dhtml|publisher=volkskrant.nl|accessdate=22 February 2014| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131008173321/http://www.volkskrant.nl:80/vk/nl/2694/Tech-Media/article/detail/3506349/2013/09/09/Vanaf-vandaag-anoniem-lekken-naar-media-via-doorgeefluik-Publeaks.dhtml | archivedate = 2013-10-08| deadurl=no}}</ref> a number of major Dutch media outlets supported the launch of [http://www.publeaks.nl Publeaks], which provides a secure website for people to leak documents to the media using the [[GlobaLeaks]] whistleblowing software.<ref>{{cite web|title=Handling ethical problems in counterterrorism An inventory of methods to support ethical decisionmaking|url=http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR200/RR251/RAND_RR251.pdf|publisher=RAND Corporation|accessdate=24 February 2014}}</ref>
* RuLeaks is aimed at being a Russian equivalent to WikiLeaks. It was initiated originally to provide translated versions of the WikiLeaks cables but the ''[[Moscow Times]]'' reports it has started to publish its own content as well.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russias-own-wikileaks-takes-off/429370.html |title=Russia's Own WikiLeaks Takes Off |author=Razumovskaya, Olga |work=The Moscow Times |date=21 January 2011 |accessdate=21 January 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209151358/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russias-own-wikileaks-takes-off/429370.html | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref>
* PPLeaks and PSOELeaks are related to the Spanish [[People's Party (Spain)|Partido Popular]] and [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]] leaks and scandals.
* Leakymails is a project designed to obtain and publish relevant documents exposing corruption of the political class and the powerful in [[Argentina]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2011/08/argentina-judge-orders-all-isps-to-block-corruption-reporting-website/ |title=Argentina: Judge orders all ISPs to block corruption reporting website |date=11 August 2011 |accessdate=11 August 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20140209095035/http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2011/08/argentina-judge-orders-all-isps-to-block-corruption-reporting-website/ | archivedate = 2014-02-09| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://opennet.net/blog/2011/08/argentina-judge-orders-all-isps-block-sites-leakymailscom-and-leakymailsblogspotcom/ |title=Argentina: Judge orders all ISPs to block the sites LeakyMails.com and Leakymails.blogspot.com|date=11 August 2011 |accessdate=11 August 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131105224031/https://opennet.net/blog/2011/08/argentina-judge-orders-all-isps-block-sites-leakymailscom-and-leakymailsblogspotcom | archivedate = 2013-11-05| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/08/argentina-isps-ip-overblocking|title=Argentine ISPs Use Bazooka to Kill Fly|date= 19 August 2011 |accessdate=19 August 2011 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20131105224323/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/08/argentina-isps-ip-overblocking | archivedate = 2013-11-05| deadurl=no}}</ref>
* Honest Appalachia,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://honestappalachia.org/ |title=Honest Appalachia | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130902001040/https://www.honestappalachia.org/ | archivedate = 2013-09-02| deadurl=no}}</ref> initiated in January 2012, is a website based in the United States intended to appeal to potential "whistleblowers" in [[West Virginia]], [[Virginia]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Ohio]], [[Kentucky]], [[Tennessee]] and [[North Carolina]], and serve as a replicable model for similar projects elsewhere.<ref name="ppg">{{cite news |url=<!-- sic! -->http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/region/honest-appalachia-website-aims-to-be-localized-wikileaks-operation-217736/ |last= Ove |first=Torsten |title=Honest Appalachia website aims to be localized WikiLeaks operation |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=15 January 2012 |accessdate=15 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="honestappalachiaorg">{{cite web |url=https://blog.honestappalachia.org/about-us/ |title=About us |publisher=Blog.honestappalachia.org |accessdate=15 January 2012 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20120522090802/https://blog.honestappalachia.org/about-us/ | archivedate = 2012-05-22| deadurl=yes}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
{{further|The Fifth Estate (film)|We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks}}
A thriller about WikiLeaks was released in the United States on 18 October 2013. The documentary ''[[We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks]]'' by director [[Alex Gibney]] premiered at the 2013 [[Sundance Film Festival]].<ref name="We Steal Secrets">{{cite web|title=We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks|url=http://filmguide.sundance.org/film/13040/we_steal_secrets_the_story_of_wikileaks|publisher=[[Sundance Film Festival]] | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/6LqsyNna8 | archivedate = 2013-12-14| deadurl=no}}</ref><!-- add more when film is shown widely & reviewed in RS-->

''War, lies and videotape'' is a documentary by french directors [[Paul Moreira]] and Luc Hermann from press agency Premieres Lignes. The film was first released in France, in 2011 and then broadcast worldwide.<ref>[http://variety.com/2011/tv/news/zodiak-sells-wikileaks-docu-1118035194/ documentary] {{Wayback|url=http://variety.com/2011/tv/news/zodiak-sells-wikileaks-docu-1118035194/|date =20140407161600}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Internet|Intelligence|Freedom of speech|Politics}}
{{div col}}
* [[Accountability]]
* [[Anonymous (group)]]
* [[Chilling Effects]]
* [[Classified information in the United States]]
* [[Cryptome]]
* [[Digital rights]]
* [[Freedom of information]]
* [[Freedom of the press]]
* [[Freedom of the Press Foundation]]
* [[GlobaLeaks]]
* [[Information security]]
* [[Memory hole]]
* [[Minileaks]]
* ''[[New York Times Co. v. United States]]''
* [[Open society]]
* 1993 [[Pretty Good Privacy#Criminal investigation|PGP Criminal investigation]]
* [[Transparency (social)]]
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
# {{Note|alt_domains|a}} {{As of|2011|3|15}}, the wikileaks.org domain redirected to mirror.wikileaks.info, a domain which is not included in the official list of mirrors. {{As of|2011|6|10}}, until wikileaks.org became accessible once again, [http://wikileaks.ch/ wikileaks.ch]<ref>{{cite news |title=WikiLeaks.org is dead; long live WikiLeaks.ch |url=http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/wikileaks-offline-faces-triple-threat-134238 |accessdate=15 December 2010 |newspaper=The National Business Review |place =Auckland, NZ |date=4 December 2010 | archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130507104535/http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/wikileaks-offline-faces-triple-threat-134238 | archivedate = 2013-05-07| deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Twitter / WikiLeaks: Cablegate |date=10 December 2010 |url=https://www.twitter.com/wikileaks/statuses/13275437891321856# |publisher=Twitter |accessdate=15 December 2010 }}</ref> served as the official website.

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite news|last=Ampie|first=Guillermo Fernandez|title=Wikileaks and Freedom of the Press |url=http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=31387|accessdate=18 December 2010|newspaper=Havana Times|date=20 October 2010}}
* {{cite book |last=Assange|first=Julian|title=Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet |url=http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/cypherpunks/|publisher= [[OR Books]] |place =New York, NY |year= 2012 |isbn= 978-1-939293-00-8}}
* {{cite video |people= Assange, Julian (et al)|date= 18 April 2010 |title=Logan Symposium: The New Initiatives |url= http://fora.tv/2010/04/18/Logan_Symposium_The_New_Initiatives |format= MP4|medium= Video |publisher=[[University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism]] |accessdate=18 December 2010}}
* {{cite news|last=Conway|first=Drew|title=Animated Heatmap of WikiLeaks Report Intensity in Afghanistan|url=http://www.r-bloggers.com/animated-heatmap-of-wikileaks-report-intensity-in-afghanistan/|accessdate=18 December 2010|newspaper=R-bloggers.com|date=17 August 2010}}
* {{cite news|last=Garfield|first=Bob|authorlink=Bob Garfield |title=Transcript of 'Leak Proof'|url=http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2009/03/13/04/|accessdate=18 December 2010|newspaper=[[On the Media]]|date=13 March 2009|publisher=[[WNYC]]}}
* {{cite book |last=Sifry|first=Micah L.|title=WikiLeaks and the Age of Transparency |url=http://www.orbooks.com/our-books/wikileaks/|publisher=[[OR Books]] |place =New York, NY |year= 2011 |isbn= 978-1-935928-31-7}}
* {{cite news |title=WikiLeaks Revelations |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11863274 |publisher =BBC News |date=25 April 2011 |accessdate=21 May 2011}}
* {{cite news |title=Specials: WikiLeaks |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,2034088,00.html |work=Time |place =New York |accessdate=19 December 2010}}
* {{cite book |last =Star |first =Alexander |year =2011 |title =Open Secrets: WikiLeaks, War and American Diplomacy
|url= http://books.google.com/books?id=6VVHgoCt9KQC&lpg=PT1 |publisher=The New York Times |isbn= 978-0-615-43957-0}}
* {{cite news|title=Topics: WikiLeaks|url=http://www.reuters.com/subjects/wikileaks|agency=[[Reuters]]|accessdate=18 December 2010}}
* {{cite video |people= Wikileaks |date= 30 December 2008 |title= Wikileaks vs. the World |url= <!-- http://chaosradio.ccc.de/25c3_m4v_2916.html -->http://events.ccc.de/congress/2008/Fahrplan/events/2916.en.html |format=M4V |medium= Video |publisher=25th [[Chaos Communication Congress]] |place= Berlin |accessdate=18 December 2010}}
* {{cite video |medium= Video |people= Jay, Paul; Ellsberg, Daniel; Shirky, Clay; Singham, Neville Roy; Thiel, Peter; Zittrain, Jonathan |title=WikiLeaks, the Internet and Democracy |place =San Jose, CA |url=http://www.therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=6124 |publisher= [[The Real News]] |date=21 January 2011}}
* {{cite video |medium= Video |people=Ellsberg, Daniel |title=We Need Whistleblowers to Stop Murder |url=http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=6132 |date=24 January 2011 |publisher= The Real News}}
* {{cite video |medium= Video |people= Geoffrey R. Stone, Judith Miller, Gabriel Schoenfeld, Richard Posner |title= Wikileaks and the First Amendment |url=http://www.amacad.org/events/wikileaks/|date= 12 November 2011 |publisher= [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]]}}
* ''[https://wikileaks.org/Transcript-of-Julian-Assange.html Transcript of Julian Assange Address to the UN]'' Wikileaks, Published: Thursday 27 September 3am BST, Proofed from live speech.

== External links ==
{{Sister project links|wikt=no |commons=WikiLeaks |b=no |n=WikiLeaks |q=WikiLeaks |s=no |v=no |species=no| voy=no |display=WikiLeaks |d=Q359 |m=no|mw=no}}
* {{Official website|https://www.wikileaks.org}}
** {{Facebook|wikileaks}}
** {{Twitter|wikileaks}}
** [[Internet Relay Chat|IRC]] server: irc://sunshinepress.org:9999 (SSL required)<!--{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/wikileaks/posts/184263521608768 |title=To contact WikiLeaks via IRC CHAT |publisher=Wikileaks at [[Facebook]]}}-->
* [http://dazzlepod.com/cable/ WikiLeaks Cablegate browser]
* {{Worldcat id|lccn-no2010-121535}}
* {{Guardian topic|media/wikileaks}}
* {{NYTtopic|organizations/w/wikileaks}}
* [http://www.democracynow.org/topics/wikileaks WikiLeaks] collected news and commentary at [[Democracy Now!]]
* [http://wlcentral.org/ WikiLeaks Central, an endorsed unofficial WikiLeaks resource]
* [http://waca.net.au/ WikiLeaks Australian Citizens Alliance]

{{WikiLeaks}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2012}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wikileaks}}
[[Category:WikiLeaks| ]]
[[Category:Applications of cryptography]]
[[Category:Classified documents]]
[[Category:Espionage]]
[[Category:Information sensitivity]]
[[Category:International organizations]]
[[Category:Internet censorship by organisation]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 2006]]
[[Category:Internet services shut down by a legal challenge]]
[[Category:MediaWiki websites]]
[[Category:National security]]
[[Category:Online archives]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Europe]]
[[Category:Whistleblowing]]
[[Category:2006 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Online organizations]]
[[Category:News leaks]]