A main character on the popular television show “The Office” once humorously said,

“Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject. So you know you are getting the best possible information.”

Funny, to be sure, but these days Wikis are gaining more and more credibility and are taking the world by storm. Or at least my world. A few years ago, my teachers and professors couldn’t say enough terrible things about Wikipedia, banning the page from appearing on our bibliographies, and portraying it as the devil’s source of mostly incorrect, un-credentialed information. These days, some professors still wince at the sound of the word, and most still demand that Wikipedia not show up on the works cited page, but my professors are encouraging the site as a good place to begin looking for resources, and get general ideas about the issues at hand.  Some of my fellow classmates even have a weekly group assignment to make a Wikipedia entry about the topic du jour in their Organic Chemistry seminar.

Open substance websites are becoming increasingly popular in today’s information-driven world. Wikipedia is by far the most popular, but another free content website recently caught the eye of the New Tactics crew. The website is “Wikileak”- an un-censorable Wikipedia that looks to provide a platform for mass document leaking and analysis.  Their main focus is exposing oppressive regimes in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the ex-Soviet states, although the site posts leaks from all over the world. Wikileak proclaims, “We believe that transparency in government activities leads to reduced corruption, better government and stronger democracies. All governments can benefit from increased scrutiny by the world community, as well as their own people. We believe this scrutiny requires information.”

The website holds over 1.2 million documents, and provides an untraceable, un-censorable, and anonymous posting source for international whistleblowers looking to expose unethical behavior by governments or corporations. As it provides no censoring or analysis itself, the site encourages the global community to analyze the documents for validity and plausibility, as well as discuss the content.

Wikileak takes away the fear of repercussions and the risks of whistle-blowing that stop so many from stepping forward with important information and documents. Wikileak has exposed issues from corruption in Kenya to housing corruption scandals in Bermuda and U.S. Military Equipment in Afghanistan, and has uncovered other stories that have become front-page news.

Now, instead of just a way to quickly find out what the sixth-smallest nation is (Liechtenstein) or what the Lieber code stated (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieber_Code ) before you run off to history class, Wikis are serving as a tool for activists, journalists, and citizens everywhere to use to expose issues and documents to a global audience without personal risks. Wikileak is an incredible resource and tactic for human rights activists. Check out the website at http://88.80.13.160/wiki/Wikileaks to take a look at their work, their documents, and participate in their global discussions.