Ethics of Wikileaks

Ethics of Wikileaks Ethical Dilemma Introduction The present research paper is based on the wikileaks ethical dilemma wherein the moral and ethical substance was derogated. The paper focussed on the key aspects of ethical dilemma and what are the dire consequences of the same. Ethics implies knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do (Potter Stewart). The quote explains the position of ethics in an individual’s life. It explains what a person ought to do and how far he is right in doing so. The individual in their life should always differentiate his actions with the degree of rightness in it. The individual should have a sense of knowledge whether he is doing the said activity in the right manner or not. It’s not compulsion for one professional that what he ought to do is the right thing to be done. There may be situations where a professional may be seek to do something wrong as per his orders and that situation will pose ethical dilemma on him, whether to follow the orders for the mere will of completing the tasks or whether be ethical and judge the situations from others point of view. This is true that whenever we are seeking any ethical situations, it is important to step into the shoes of the com mon person or the person on the other side and then do the act. This always explains us whether the same actions done by others would cause us the same outcome as we are doing so. (Cohen, 2004) Julian Assange the founder of Wikileaks launched the website on 2006 in Iceland; Assange had three friends/colleagues namely Kristinn Hrafnsson, Joseph Farrell and Sarah Harrison along with her. Harrfnsson who was also related to Sunshine production was carrying on the business. With strength of around 800 non paid reporters, the company operates as a non-profit organization worldwide. The company is involved in publishing secret and insight news to the public of the nation. The reason for the same is that the public should be aware of what is happening in their country and what the government is trying to do for the people in reality. Wikileaks has affected the rights of the government in a good manner. The company shows a transparency of news to the public due to which the government is hampered in support manner. Some people on reading the truth and news about the government leave support on the voting rights and are against the government. In the essay below we shall discuss with certain examples how the votes of the government are affected and the legality of wiki leaks from the government point of view and what the overall impact is. The news and transparency of wiki leaks harm the government and support as it is seen that In Kenya during elections in2007 wiki leaks had exposed a government scam of $3,000,000,000 where the scam had resulted to increase in the disease malaria which resulted in 20% death of children below 5 years and after the scam was exposed the news had turned around about 10% of the votes against the government. The two issues involved are: they should have proper and unhampered information on what the governments are trying to do The information which is a clear part of the business of the government must be properly protected so that it allows discussion and helps in proper and good judgments. There is a certain exception where, just to consider that the government is trying to do a secret project and someone from the wiki leak discovers the same, and the project is such that it may cause some significant losses of life. Hence this information sharing with the public shall be totally defensible as it may also be possible that it’s a major sting operation and the full information has not being obtained by the whistle blower. As for publishing the information may save several lives, but if there has been no whistle blowing or like no harm has been prevented. And the information has been actually created and fixed in such manner to against the public for the government. Or even on a worse consideration the operation or project was actually such to put a strategic operation to actually save certain lives of the people and the information could be a compromised leak and may even back fire. SO this manner it harms a lot to the government and it might not prove to be healt hy hence wiki leaks should work in a more refined manner or along with the government so that the support for both are equally mutual. Talking about the liberal rights to the best of my understanding is that the wiki leaks has no authority and permission from the government of the country or any official agreement through which they shall be allowed to share these information to the public or aware the public of the government secret projects of the government. At the same time since every person has rights to freedom and speech it is not anywhere breaking the law and wiki leaks or Assange has also got high support from the reporters and also the general public because via wiki leaks they get to know about news which they shall know or have authority to know being the citizen of that country. Talking about liberal value, then transparency is not only the liberal value but there are other factors also. Value of legitimacy- people who have some public interest should definitely have democratic mandate or some accountability. Legality is another liberal value- the actions that affect others should have some basis in la w. In a liberal society transparency is very important. Privacy to be the third liberal value- in case of the human affairs the people should have the conduct some communication on the basis of confidentiality. If there is no confidence then there shall be no flow of any useful information. Counting on the overall impact is that wiki leaks is at the verge and has public for and against both for them. Though it proves to be very useful and helpful for the general public at the same time it is very harmful or may cause to be very harmful for the government of the country. Wikileaks cal also proves to be a national threat to the country it may harm the peace and harmony of particular countries and their relationships. If Wikileaks had revealed the fact of the US government that the They spent about $300 billion on the war with Afghanistan which was the money of the US taxpayers citizens then the public might react in a negative manner to the government and the other harm would also be that Taliban had been proven stronger than the war of 2001 then this information leak may have resulted to loose credibility of the military troops and the Taliban would have rallied more troops and the war would have been a disaster. So the support of Wikileaks is strong but the overall impact is neutral as there is some information that has to be confidential and wiki leaks may work with the government is such a manner that it shall not hamper the peace and harmony of the country in a negative manner. Ethics when explained is divided into two halves. The first being the descriptive ethics and the other being the prescriptive ethics. The former explains the descriptive behaviours in the ethics whereas the latter explains the normative ethics that is based on the principles of ethics. The descriptive ethics explains about the position of the individual to have a look at the society, their culture, their practices, and might force them to see such number of things as average, height, weight, and other things. These are the things that differentiate people from each other. The above essay we see the liberal rights of wiki leaks as they only not need to count on the liberal part but also on accountability as it is important to have some information as private and confidential, thought the wiki leaks has support from lot of organisations and the general public. The essay also states how the government is affected for votes and election due to the news of wiki leaks and how it may benefit or harm the elections of the country. Wikileaks may continue doing the work as it is not a crime but the legal aspects shall have to be taken into consideration. References US Government Officials Admit That They Lied About Actual Impact Of Wikileaks To Bolster Legal Effort | Techdirt. (n.d.). RetrievedOctober31, 2013, from http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110119/14280012733/us-government-officials-admit-that-they-lied-about-actual-impact-wikileaks-to-bolster-legal-effort.shtml The Wikileaks Party vs The Pirate Party | Election Watch 2013. (n.d.). RetrievedOctober31, 2013, from http://2013electionwatch.com.au/analysis/wikileaks-party-vs-pirate-party Wikileaks release has more benefits than drawbacks. (n.d.). RetrievedOctober31, 2013, from http://alleghenycampus.com/2010/10/28/wikileaks-spread-truth/ WikiLeaks growing impact – This Just In CNN.com Blogs. (n.d.). RetrievedOctober31, 2013, from http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/29/what-is-wikileaks-2/