Cryptome
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Cryptome is a controversial website hosted in the United States by John Young, that functions as a repository for information about freedom of speech, cryptography, and surveillance. According to the site:
- Cryptome welcomes documents for publication that are prohibited by governments worldwide, in particular material on freedom of expression, privacy, cryptology, dual-use technologies, national security, intelligence, and secret governance—open, secret and classified documents—but not limited to those.[1]
Controversial Cryptome documents include suppressed photographs of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, lists of people believed to be MI6 agents [2], and detailed maps of government facilities[3] (based on publicly available mapping and aerial photography).
Young claims that Cryptome has attracted the attention of government agencies. He reports being visited by two FBI agents from a counter-terrorism office and describes having a casual discussion with the agents[4]. He further describes how on another occasion two FBI agents spoke with him on the phone. During this conversation, he claims, one agent warned of "serious trouble" if a published account of the conversation contained the agents' names[5].
In March 2005 the Reader's Digest published an article with a highly critical view of Cryptome in its regular feature "That's Outrageous". It asserted that Cryptome is an "invitation to terrorists" and claimed that Young "may well have put lives at risk".[6]
On 20 April 2007 the website received notice that the site would be shut down by its hosting company Verio on May 4 for breaches of their acceptable use policy. The nature of these breaches were not specified by Verio. The notice period of two weeks is to allow Cryptome to engage alternative hosting.[7]
Several other websites are closely linked to Cryptome. Cartome, administered by Deborah Natsios (John Young's partner), is an archive of spatial and geographic documents related to the same topics covered by Cryptome. Another website, Cryptome CN, specialises in the publication of documents and information banned in the People's Republic of China.
Cryptome founders John Young and Deborah Natsios participated in the Standing Up To Authority panel at H2K2.
[edit] See also
- Classified information
- Freedom of information legislation
- Open government
- Secrecy
- Wikileaks
- Force Research Unit
[edit] References
- JakeTapper. "Does Web Information Help Terrorists?". ABC News, 12 August 2004.
- Nancy Gohring "Verio dumps controversial Cryptome site". Computerworld, 30 April 2007.
- John Cook. "Secrets and lies". Radar 1 (3), September 2007. 64–69, 88–89.
