Another Word For It Patrick Durusau on Topic Maps and Semantic Diversity

February 7, 2017

Leakers As Lighthouses In A Sea Of Data

Filed under: Journalism,News,Reporting — Patrick Durusau @ 3:50 pm

I was extolling my How-To: Leaking In Two Steps yesterday when a very practical problem suggested itself.

In sneakernet leaking (hard copy/digital), the leaker has selected/filtered the leaked content prior to delivery to a news organization.

Leaked access puts the burden on reporters to explore to find relevant data. Without some guidance from a leaker, reporters won’t know if a “big story” is in the next directory, file or spreadsheet.

Concern was also voiced that traditional news organizations might run afoul of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA).

Governments enact laws like the CFAA in order to protect their own criminal activity and those of criminals like them.

Think of the last time your local, state or national government did something that would be universally admired and acclaimed but kept it secret.

Coming up empty? Some am I.

Good acts are never kept secret and that is a commentary on acts that are kept secret

I won’t suggest you violate the CFAA, if you are subject to it, but do consider if you are serving the government’s interest in obeying such laws or the public’s.

I’m re-factoring How-To: Leaking In Two Steps to keep the ease of leaking for leakers, preserve their role as lighthouses, and, perhaps even more importantly, to reduce if not eliminate CFAA liability for news organizations.

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