America Should Not Prosecute Julian Assange

US efforts to prosecute the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, for espionage and exposing confidential US State Department cables are not in line with democratic values or support for a free and open internet, argues Joseph Nye, author and a former US assistant secretary of defense. Around the globe, news organizations, both big and small, review and disseminate the leaked cables. US prosecution of Assange damages “the principle of openness on the internet that America must try to establish,” Nye contends. “The move is a blunder because it glorifies Mr Assange, and also because it confuses a cause with a symptom.” No charges have yet been filed, and Nye urges the US government to secure its networks rather than seek deterrence by prosecuting an individual who handled the materials. Governments, corporations, all institutions that work with the public, should strive for transparency and carefully consider wording of any secret documents, anticipating the inevitability of leaks and their immediate online display. – YaleGlobal