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Aussie shines a torch into murky areas

The net continues to provide ways in which people-power can take hold - and, basically, governments can do little about it. Another example of how one man has caused a world-wide phenomenon in shining torches into murky spots governments or corporations preferred he would not, is highlighted in a piece in the SMH:

"An Australian living in East Africa has brought new meaning to the phrase "keeping the bastards honest".

In the past year-and-a-half, Julian Assange and his band of online dissidents have helped swing the Kenyan presidential election, embarrassed the US Government and sparked international scandal.

His site, Wikileaks, provides a safe haven for whistleblowers to anonymously upload confidential documents and, after 18 months of operation, Assange says no source has ever been exposed and no document - now more than 1.2 million and counting - has ever been censored or removed.

Now the site is expanding its focus on despotic regimes and shady corporate dealings to include religion and even the cult of celebrity.

Recently published documents include an early version of the movie script for Indiana Jones And The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Wesley Snipes's tax bill and documents from the Church of Scientology and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

"In every negotiation, in every planning meeting and in every workplace dispute a perception is slowly building that the public interest may have a number of silent advocates in the room," Mr Assange said in an email interview."

Read the piece, in full, here.

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