Contrary to popular belief, existing legal protections for whistleblowers are limited and generally do not extend to leaks of classified information. This fact sheet summarizes key laws affecting whistleblowers and their prosecution.
Assange may be outraged at Manning’s conviction for leaking secret documents, but the judge’s dismissal of two other charges against Manning could halt Obama administration’s plans to prosecute Assange for publishing the documents.
New docs reveal the alarming scope of NSA data collection. But half of Americans see the spying as 'no big deal.' They are allowing government to chip away at freedoms that others, especially in the Arab world, are giving their lives to build.
Although Manning was convicted of the majority of the charges against him, and although he will almost certainly spend decades in prison for his deeds, much of the early media narrative focused upon his acquittal of aiding the enemy.
As news of the government's broad surveillance programs develops, a host of unanswered questions arise. This fact sheet answers many of those questions, examining the legal and practical steps the government may have taken to secretly collect data.
