Wikileaks paradox

Professor of the public understanding of technology John Naughton sees an urgent need for Wikileaks and similar organisations:

In a world increasingly dominated by secretive, unaccountable corporations and in which authoritarian regimes continue to flourish, we will need robust technologies for ensuring that some secrets cannot be kept.

Naughton fails to see the paradox here, however: Wikileaks is itself secretive and unaccountable, and is run by an authoritarian.

Former Assange colleague Daniel Domscheit-Berg sums it up quite nicely:

Julian has become exactly the kind of person he despised - at least I do have that impression. There's barely anyone, whether it's the Guardian, the BBC or myself who criticises him and doesn't get mail from his lawyer.

Challenge the mighty and suffer the consequences.