Wikileaks is running out of cash. Or, rather, it can’t get its cash because of an economic blockade by Visa, Mastercard, Paypal and other financial institutions. The credit card companies started blocking payments to Wikileaks last year, and the inability to collect donations from the public via credit cards and other electronic transfers is taking its toll on the organization.
In a message on its website, Wikileaks announces that it will cease publishing new leaks until it gets its finances in order:
We are forced to temporarily suspend publishing whilst we secure our economic survival. For almost a year we have been fighting an unlawful financial blockade. We cannot allow giant US finance companies to decide how the whole world votes with its pocket. Our battles are costly.
Then it asks for a donation to help fight the evil banks. Of course, most people will find it difficult to donate if Wikileaks cannot accept credit cards. But there are other ways to get money to the leak-gathering organization, including bitcoin, Flattr, and, of course, direct deposit. Only about 5 percent of donations come through these alternate means.
Below is Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in a smart-looking sweater explaining the dire financial situation Wikileaks is facing (and, of course, asking for money).
WikiLeaks is a not-for-profit media organization. Their goal is to bring important news and information to the public. They provide an innovative, secure and anonymous way for sources to leak information to our journalists (our electronic drop box). WikiLeaks has sustained and triumphed against legal and political attacks designed to silence their publishing organisation, journalists and anonymous sources. The broader principles on which their work is based are the defence of freedom of speech and media publishing, the improvement...
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