Guess what Michael Moore’s ‘Trumpileaks’ site is about
Michael Moore just created a new website called “Trumpileaks,” for, you guessed it, collecting leaked information about Trump administration activities. In a letter posted on the site, Moore implored, “I need one of you to help me. It might get dangerous. It may get us in trouble. But we’re running out of time.”
The concept and website are both a little redundant. Nearly every major news outlet provides a way for would-be whistleblowers to send information securely, with many using the open-source, encrypted system SecureDrop. Moore’s site doesn’t use that particular program but instead provides instructions on how to send information via Signal, Peerio, WhatsApp, encrypted email, snail mail or regular email for those who don’t care about anonymity. But Moore’s options exist in a sea of many others because he’s far from the only person interested in collecting damaging information about President Trump.
Plus, it’s not like leaks haven’t been happening. On Monday, the Intercept published evidence that a Russian intelligence agency targeted a US voting-software company. The article included classified National Security Agency documents detailing the infiltration attempt, which had been leaked to the website by an anonymous source, according to the Intercept.
However, while there are already many outlets for distributing sensitive information and plenty of people trying to do so, what is clear is how careful potential leakers need to be. And that goes beyond deciding which method to use when sharing damaging information and who to share it with. After the Intercept’s report, the FBI arrested Reality Leigh Winner, a government contractor working for the defense and intelligence service company Pluribus International Corporation. According to an FBI affidavit, Winner mailed the documents to the Intercept. But she was found out nonetheless and reportedly later admitted to the crime.
Trump has had a love/hate relationship with leaks — championing Wikileaks when it worked in his favor and condemning the act when it disparages his administration. And Winner’s arrest makes it very clear how far he’ll go to punish those that undermine him. Leaks can contain a wealth of information but only time will tell whether Moore’s addition to the fray sources anything groundbreaking.
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