Live data from Hacker News

Wikileaks promises release 7x bigger than Iraq War Logs, asks for donations

itworld.com

1–10 of 43 posts

Re: Wikileaks promises release 7x bigger than Iraq War Logs, asks for donations

#2
One of the most disappointing things about Wikileaks is that the release of documents about the U.S. torturing people and the war going badly hasn't had any adverse affect on the support for the war. It's proof that people just don't care. It's depressing.

The need by governments to keep everything secret is a bit irrational. People don't care.

Re: Wikileaks promises release 7x bigger than Iraq War Logs, asks for donations

#3
... In October the group released a package of almost 400,000 documents called the Iraq War Logs in coordination with major commercial media organisations.

7 x 400,000 = 2.8m documents?

You don't change people's minds by releasing 2.8 million pages of documentation, you change it by repeating your slogan over and over and over.

Re: Wikileaks promises release 7x bigger than Iraq War Logs, asks for donations

#4
I can pick up that the intent of the poster of this was to imply that this promise was simply to gain donation money. While I don't know overly much about how such issues are typically handled in these communities, I'd far rather donate to Wikileaks's "secret docs coming over, keep us strong" then Wikipedia's "look at me, I'm Jimbo Wales".

Re: Wikileaks promises release 7x bigger than Iraq War Logs, asks for donations

#5
post #2

One of the most disappointing things about Wikileaks is that the release of documents about the U.S. torturing people and the war going badly hasn't had any adverse affect on the support for the war. It's proof that people just don't care. It's depressing. The need by governments to keep everything secret is a bit irrational. People don't care.

That's sadly true. Same goes for WL's recent policy of sensationalism; in their early years, they simply released documents. Now it's dramatic titles, commentary, expensive media deals. I have nothing against WL for this; it's simply a sign that, unless things are made dramatic - indeed, even if things are made dramatic, after the first few weeks - the public no longer care.

Re: Wikileaks promises release 7x bigger than Iraq War Logs, asks for donations

#6
post #5
post #2

One of the most disappointing things about Wikileaks is that the release of documents about the U.S. torturing people and the war going badly hasn't had any adverse affect on the support for the war. It's proof that people just don't care. It's depressing. The need by governments to keep everything secret is a bit irrational. People don't care.

That's sadly true. Same goes for WL's recent policy of sensationalism; in their early years, they simply released documents. Now it's dramatic titles, commentary, expensive media deals. I have nothing against WL for this; it's simply a sign that, unless things are made dramatic - indeed, even if things are made dramatic, after the first few weeks - the public no longer care.

You seem to care, but you sound apathetic. Would you try and do anything about it if I and others were to ask you to help?

Re: Wikileaks promises release 7x bigger than Iraq War Logs, asks for donations

#7
post #2

One of the most disappointing things about Wikileaks is that the release of documents about the U.S. torturing people and the war going badly hasn't had any adverse affect on the support for the war. It's proof that people just don't care. It's depressing. The need by governments to keep everything secret is a bit irrational. People don't care.

[deleted]

Re: Wikileaks promises release 7x bigger than Iraq War Logs, asks for donations

#8
post #2

One of the most disappointing things about Wikileaks is that the release of documents about the U.S. torturing people and the war going badly hasn't had any adverse affect on the support for the war. It's proof that people just don't care. It's depressing. The need by governments to keep everything secret is a bit irrational. People don't care.

The main thing about the Iraq War Logs was that there was nothing particularly new or surprising or shocking. Details about incidents, but nothing war critics didn't already assume had happened many times.

When someone says "We've got horrible things to reveal", your imagination fills in the blanks, extrapolating from what we've already found out to even more horrible extremes.

But then what Wikileaks revealed didn't live up to that. It was pretty much more of the same things we already knew.

It's no wonder the reaction was subdued. It doesn't mean people don't care, it just means we're too burnt out to work up a rage about the sorts of things we already knew were happening.

Re: Wikileaks promises release 7x bigger than Iraq War Logs, asks for donations

#9
post #5
post #2

One of the most disappointing things about Wikileaks is that the release of documents about the U.S. torturing people and the war going badly hasn't had any adverse affect on the support for the war. It's proof that people just don't care. It's depressing. The need by governments to keep everything secret is a bit irrational. People don't care.

That's sadly true. Same goes for WL's recent policy of sensationalism; in their early years, they simply released documents. Now it's dramatic titles, commentary, expensive media deals. I have nothing against WL for this; it's simply a sign that, unless things are made dramatic - indeed, even if things are made dramatic, after the first few weeks - the public no longer care.

But you have to acknowledge the fact that more people are now exposed to the Wikileaks data precisely because of Wikileaks's "dramatic" release announcements.

Re: Wikileaks promises release 7x bigger than Iraq War Logs, asks for donations

#10
post #5
post #2

One of the most disappointing things about Wikileaks is that the release of documents about the U.S. torturing people and the war going badly hasn't had any adverse affect on the support for the war. It's proof that people just don't care. It's depressing. The need by governments to keep everything secret is a bit irrational. People don't care.

That's sadly true. Same goes for WL's recent policy of sensationalism; in their early years, they simply released documents. Now it's dramatic titles, commentary, expensive media deals. I have nothing against WL for this; it's simply a sign that, unless things are made dramatic - indeed, even if things are made dramatic, after the first few weeks - the public no longer care.

I actually care less when things are made dramatic. When WL was a repository of truth, I supported it. As its mission changes to become an agent for change, I support it less.
Post reply on HN