"Oos that, then? (2)

 WIKILEAKS

The issue of internet anonymity is an oft debated and frequently vexing subject in countries around the world. Of course, here in our small corner, much is made about anonymous postings to local blogs, many of which are made by the same individuals (often the blog owner, surreptitiously attempting to support his own arguments) who seem to delight in mischief making. But that's small beer when compared with the bloggers who risk life and limb on a daily basis to get the truth onto the 'net.

If you've never read it, you should look at Wikileaks. It's a multinational website dedicated to defending the freedom of journalists to comment  about the behaviour of governments and institutions without censorship. It's an important site.

Secrecy has become ingrained into our national institutions, the government leading the way, but with local councils anxiously and eagerly following in its wake. Why?  Because political parties have ideas and agendas, and they don't want too many people finding out about them, or making waves when they do. Governments and councils like secrecy;  they think it's 'good thing'.  But what they mean is they want to get their plans passed without the electorate (for whom they work, remember) getting wind of what they're planning. Nasty, but true.  And that's why we need sites like Oscar's, Jason Weyman's and John Oddy's.  Because without them we'd have even less idea of what's happening than we do.  And that can only be bad for democracy and us.