WikiLeaks began releasing over 250,000 confidential American foreign relations cables on Nov. 28. Over 15,000 of the cables released are classified as secret. The release of such information poses a threat to American diplomacy, but such an action is indicative of a much bigger problem facing the global community: Internet security.

The mere thought that an individual can obtain such classified information and release it to the public is troubling. The Internet has continued to grow worldwide at a rapid pace, yet legislation identifying what is a legal practice versus an illegal practice on the Internet lags far behind the reality of the situation.

The government will need to act — and act soon — to ensure increased privacy on the Internet and to avoid future leaks of confidential information. Internet law faces many challenges previously unseen in other forms of information distribution. The Internet allows users around the world to access vast amounts of information, and computer hackers have proven that privacy is a luxury users rarely have.

In 2000, a high-profile case involving Napster and the protection of copyrights foreshadowed future legal issues with the Internet. With so many people connected, information sharing will undoubtedly increase. How to share the information in a legal, safe manner is the challenge that persists.

The information contained within the WikiLeaks documents may potentially affect diplomacy on a global scale. The cables released contain documents that criticize the actions of British Prime Minister David Cameron, potentially damaging relations with Britain. Other documents show that the United States offered countries favors in return for taking Guantanamo Bay prisoners, as well as the U.S. intention to spy on U.N. leaders.

Depending on how the classified information was obtained, WikiLeaks may or may not face criminal charges. A letter from Harold Hongju Koh, legal adviser of the State Department, to WikiLeaks leader Julian Assange stated, ‘If any of the materials you intend to publish were provided by any government officials, or any intermediary without proper authorization, they were provided in violation of U.S. law and without regard for the grave consequences of this action. As long as WikiLeaks holds such material, the violation of the law is ongoing.’

President Barack Obama’s administration is currently investigating Bradley Manning, an intelligence analyst for the U.S. Army and the prime suspect in leaking the confidential cables to WikiLeaks. No arrest has been made, but Wired.com published a statement by Manning: ‘No one suspected a thing. I didn’t even have to hide anything.’ The Internet provides the platform for people like Manning to seriously threaten a country’s national security.

Such a scandal raises the question: How much information should be public knowledge as opposed to government-protected? Much of the information contained within the WikiLeaks cable clearly goes beyond what should be public knowledge and seriously threatens international diplomacy. Other information, however, reveals shady practices within the government and provides unparalleled transparency into our government’s actions.

The government will undoubtedly try to enhance the security of such confidential documents, but the constant struggle between Internet hackers and Internet protectors will not end anytime soon. As the Internet continues to permeate every aspect of our lives, the success of Internet protection strategies will determine if a single individual can truly undermine a federal government’s diplomatic relations.

Benjamin Klein is a junior political science and magazine journalism major. His column appears every Wednesday, and he can be reached at bklein@syr.edu.

 

Published on November 30, 2010 at 12:00 pm