Members of Iceland's parliament are moving forward on a resolution that could transform that country into the world's first haven for free speech. The Icelandic Modern Media Initiative (IMMI) would reinvent Iceland as a global safe zone for publishers, media organizations and journalists. The movement has been led by WikiLeaks, a Web site that specializes in the publication of sensitive or restricted information.
Barely three years old, WikiLeaks boasts over 1.2 million documents and "more scoops in its short life than The Washington Post has in the past 30 years," according to one supporter. Simply put, WikiLeaks is a clearinghouse for information. It publishes documents -- typically raw and unedited --- relating to government or corporate misconduct. Every leak is published anonymously and sources' identities are tightly guarded.
Until recently it wasn't clear if WikiLeaks, a nonprofit run on donations, would be able to continue operations. In late December, the site was shut down and replaced by a page seeking pledges to help it meet its $600,000 annual operating budget. Earlier this month, after meeting a minimum requirement, the site resumed activity, albeit on a limited scale. Today WikiLeaks is still short $250,000 -- it won't accept corporate or government donations -- and only releases select time-sensitive documents.
The Web site's representatives have been working closely with the Icelandic government to pass the IMMI. WikiLeaks' hope is that new laws will create a place where its content is safe from censorship. This permanent home, advocates say, would also ensure that journalists around the globe have an important tool to sidestep the restrictive laws of their own nations.
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=101&aid=178520
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