Earlier this week, the WikiLeaks’ Twitter
account announced that a “state party”
had severed Julian Assange’s internet link.
What’s going on?
Assange is the founder of WikiLeaks, a non-profit
organization that publishes leaked documents
from governmental and corporate whistleblowers.
Assange has been living in the Ecuador embassy
in London since 2012, when he sought asylum
from Swedish authorities.
While residing in the embassy, WikiLeaks has
continued to publish whistleblower accounts.
As the 2016 presidential election draws closer,
those accounts have included batches of documents
that cast Hillary Clinton and the Democratic
National Committee in a poor light.
Some suspect that WikiLeaks, which claims
to only publish documentation that others
provide to them, received the documents from
Russian hackers.
It’s a complicated mess with problematic
domestic and international implications.
That’s what led to Ecuador severing Assange’s
Internet connection.
According to an official statement from the embassy,
Ecuador took this action to prevent being
associated with interference in the U.S. electoral
process because it “respects the principle
of non-intervention in the internal affairs
of other states” -- not because of any outside
pressures.
But is that enough to prevent WikiLeaks from
publishing more documents?
Probably not – and the statement from Ecuador
concedes as much.
WikiLeaks is more than just its founder.
The organization relies on a network of staff
to collect and verify documents.
While WikiLeaks isn’t as decentralized as
the quasi-organization called Anonymous, it
is capable of continuing operations without
Assange’s direct involvement.
According to the organization’s Twitter
feed,
WikiLeaks has activated “contingency plans.”
By cutting off Assange’s access, Ecuador
can distance itself from future allegations
of attempting to affect the upcoming US election.
The actual leaks will likely continue, documents
will be published and Assange will be involved
even if it’s just over the phone.
All of this adds more fuel to the various
theories, accusations and wild speculation
that have been part of this year’s US election
cycle.
And it’s probable that the leaked documents
will create consequences felt by both Assange
and the Democratic party long after November
8th.
To stay up to date with the most important,
interesting and intriguing stories unfolding
today, make sure you visit now.howstuffworks.com.
Also, subscribe to the HowStuffWorks Now podcast,
available at all fine podcatching services.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to
go look at some kitten videos or something.
