Wiki Leaks and Other Journalism

OOOO now this topic could get fun. And I may personally be in a minority in the space, but I feel national security issues should be considered. The problem is in the definition of what is a risk to national security.

Exposing CIA operatives could be (and I think it is) defined as a risk to national security. Not to mention personal safety. I actually know a person who used to be in a leadership position with the CIA. At one point she had several hits on her from cartels and other agencies because of her work with the CIA. Exposing someone in that situation could not only be considered a risk to national security but definitely a risk to personal safety. Not to mention the safety of their families.

On the flip side, I'm betting that at the time Nixon thought release of the Watergate Tapes was a threat to national security. Should they not have been released? I think of course they should have been released.

This is where I think the new media world should work with old media sensibilities about verifying their information, weighing the possible effects of their reporting, finding the "story," researching leads, etc. By taking the TIME to consider their stories and slow down, they can make an educated judgement about the effects of their reporting. That's really important now more than ever since so many people get their information from the internet. So many sites just put stuff up without thinking. I just found out that people are now saying there really is a Barack Obama born in Hawaii, but that person died and our current President is a Kenyan who stole his identity. REally?? And people are believing this. With absolutely NO foundation or fact to support it.

As long as people go to the internet for information, new media journalists have a responsibility to do their due diligence in their reporting. Without that concern for not only the truth but for the impact of their stories, they are (in my opinion only) doing everyone a disservice. The internet has the potential to bring people together, but can just as easily tear them apart.

I'm rambling