- Cryptome
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Cryptome URL cryptome.org Created by John Young, Deborah Natsios Launched June 1996 Current status Active Cryptome is a website hosted in the United States since 1996 by independent scholars[1] and architects John Young and Deborah Natsios[2] that functions as a repository for information about freedom of speech, cryptography, spying, 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.[3]
Cryptome hosted documents, consisting of over 54,000 files,[4] include suppressed photographs of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, lists of people believed to be MI6 agents,[5][6] detailed maps of government facilities[7] (based on publicly available mapping and aerial photography), and 4,000 photos of the Iraq War killed and maimed.[8]
Several other websites are closely linked to Cryptome. Cartome, administered by Deborah Natsios, is an archive of spatial and geographic documents related to the same topics covered by Cryptome. Eyeball Series provides photographic documentation of sensitive sites which are customarily concealed from public view. Another website, Cryptome CN, specialises in the publication of documents and information banned in the People's Republic of China.
Contents
History
On 20 April 2007 the website received notice that the site would be evicted from its hosting company Verio's servers on May 4 for unspecified breaches of their acceptable use policy. The notice period of two weeks allowed Cryptome to engage alternative hosting.[9][10]
In February 2010, Cryptome was briefly shut down by Network Solutions for alleged DMCA violations after it posted a "Microsoft legal spy manual".[11][12][13] Microsoft withdrew the complaint 3 days later and the website was restored.[14] In March 2010, PayPal stopped processing donations to Cryptome and froze the account's funds.[15]
Governmental Investigation
Young claims that Cryptome has attracted the attention of government agencies.[16] He reports being visited by two FBI agents from a counter-terrorism office and describes having a casual discussion with the agents.[17] 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.[18]
Criticism
In March 2005 the Reader's Digest published an article, based on an interview with Young, 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".[19] Young says he welcomed the critique from an opposing political ideologue as a contribution to a public debate on the need to broaden freedom of information beyond narrow "reputable" media outlets.[20]
See also
- Freedom of information
- Activism
- Open government
- Secrecy
- WikiLeaks
- Scientific journalism
References
- ^ John Young and Deborah Natsios Bibliography
- ^ Natsios Young Architects
- ^ http://cryptome.org/#send
- ^ YouTube Interview with John Young (2:15)
- ^ 276 Unique Names of MI6 Officers
- ^ Japanese Spy Agency Officers
- ^ Eyeball Series
- ^ Iraq Killed and Maimed
- ^ Cryptome Shutdown by Verio/NTT Prime Suspect
- ^ Verio dumps controversial Cryptome site
- ^ Robert Quigley (2010-02-24). "Microsoft Online Surveillance Guide - Cryptome Leak". Geekosystem. http://www.geekosystem.com/cryptome-leaks-microsofts-online-surveillance-guide-ms-demands-takedown/. Retrieved 2010-04-06.
- ^ The Secret Government Surveillance Document Microsoft Doesn’t Want You To See Gizmodo,
- ^ Microsoft Online Services Global Criminal Compliance Handbook
- ^ "Microsoft Demands Takedown of Spy Guide Update". Cryptome. 2010-02-26. http://cryptome.org/0001/ms-spy-takedown.htm.
- ^ "Cryptome suspected of money laundering". Cryptome. 2010-03-09. http://cryptome.org/cryptome-sar.htm.
- ^ FBI Pressuring Spy Archivist
- ^ FBI Visits Cryptome
- ^ FBI Requests PSIA Lists Removal
- ^ That's Outrageous - Let's Shut These Websites Down | Michael Crowley | Reader's Digest
- ^ Let's Shut Down Dangerous Websites
External links
Categories:- Organizations in cryptography
- American political websites
- Technology websites
- Cypherpunks
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