Officials may be overstating the danger from WikiLeaks

[Modbert]

Officials may be overstating the danger from WikiLeaks | McClatchy

WASHINGTON — American officials in recent days have warned repeatedly that the release of documents by WikiLeaks could put people's lives in danger.

But despite similar warnings ahead of the previous two massive releases of classified U.S. intelligence reports by the website, U.S. officials concede that they have no evidence to date that the documents led to anyone's death.

Before Sunday's release, news organizations given access to the documents and WikiLeaks took the greatest care to date to ensure no one would be put in danger. In statements accompanying stories about the documents, several newspapers said they voluntarily withheld information and that they cooperated with the State Department and the Obama administration to ensure nothing released could endanger lives or national security.

All the identities of people the journalists believed would be threatened were redacted," the newspaper said in what would be an unprecedented act of self censorship by journalists toward government documents.

The newspapers also communicated U.S. government concerns to WikiLeaks to ensure sensitive data didn't appear on the organization's website.

This wouldn't come as a huge surprise.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

of course they are overstating it. If they didn't someone might wonder why 3 million people had access to all this information. Overstating the danger keeps reporters form asking questions.