2011-06-20 WikiLeaks Notes: Latest News on #Cablegate Releases, #WikiLeaks & More

This is a "WikiLeaks News Update," constantly updated throughout each day. The blog tracks stories that are obviously related to WikiLeaks but also follows stories related to freedom of information, transparency, cybersecurity, freedom of expression, and sometimes the national security establishment of the United States because each issue/topic helps one further understand WikiLeaks and vice versa.

All the times are EST. You can contact me at kgosztola@hotmail.com with any news tips. Twitter username is @kgosztola. Also, if you are looking for some insightful discussion of stories related to WikiLeaks, I encourage you to check out the catalog of podcasts posted here at WL Central from the "This Week in WikiLeaks" show I produce every week.

11:35 PM Peru cables: US Chamber of Commerce urged State Department to co-sponsor conference to help push Peru government to crack down on piracy and better support intellectual property rights

11:25 PM If Nelson Mandela was still involved in South African politics, he would be opposed to the current Protection of Information bill.

11:20 PM Patrick Kingsley for the Sydney Morning Herald writes on the "menace of computer hacking." Why is it menacing? Targeted attacks have become so dangerous because of the amount of information that can be divulged on the Internet.

10:45 PM US allegedly working to extradite UK-based administrator who operates TV and movies links website

6:30 PM Second part of Whittaker's series at ZDNet.com: WikiLeaks, a brief history pre-2010

In this part of his dissertation, he details "the first legal challenge that Wikileaks in February 2008 had to navigate," when "their domain name and ‘corporate’ web identity was disallowed by the court" because of pushback after an ex-employee of Julius Baer Trust and Bank submitted documents on offshore tax evasion and money laundering to WikiLeaks.

12:20 PM Former CIA tech head: social media technology being used for cyber defense of governments and corporations

11:45 PM In addition to talking about President Barack Obama's violation of the War Powers Act with the Libya war, Salon.com blogger Glenn Greenwald discusses Bradley Manning, David House & the WikiLeaks grand jury on Democracy Now!.

10:50 AM ZDNet.com's Zack Whittaker begins to post his dissertation on WikiLeaks and the release of the US diplomatic cables. The dissertation specifically aims to show how WikiLeaks has changed or impacted journalism.

Whittaker writes, "The after-effects of the diplomatic cables release, however, changed how we regarded our legislators and executives. Similarly to that of the Enlightenment — where science reigned over religious insight – many eyes were opened to the goings on of governments and the seemingly shady world of politics and diplomacy."

9:10 AM A US citizen from De Soto, Kansas (about a fifty minute drive from Ft. Leavenworth where Bradley Manning is being held) writes letter to editor for Kansas City Star condemning Manning and asks, "Was Guantanamo considered?"

9:00 AM The Pentagon is developing a simulator for cyberwar. With the help of Lockheed Martin and Johns Hopkins University, is putting together the "National Cyber Range," which will be a "computer network mimics the architecture of the Internet so military planners can see the effects of cyberweapons by acting out attack and defense scenarios."

8:50 AM Kristinn Hrafnsson, Global Spokesperson for WikiLeaks, interviewed by the Australian Financial Review

Hrafnsson says Visa, Mastercard, PayPal refusing services reminds him of the black noose of the McCarthy Era. "You can use your credit card to buy weapons, drugs, pornography, gamble on the Internet. You can support the Ku Klux Klan. But, Visa and MasterCard have decided you can't use your plastic to give ten dollars to [WikiLeaks]."

Hrafnsson suggests there will be news on taking legal action against those that have refused WikiLeaks services, which will be announced in coming days.