WikiLeaks Wants To Expose Personal Info Of All Verified Twitter Users In Massive Database: Here's Why

WikiLeaks is in hot water over a supposed proposal to expose the information of verified Twitter users was tweeted by the WikiLeaks Task Force. The idea quickly caused a commotion online and drew criticism.

However, WikiLeaks says the organization's planned database would simply be used for creating a proximity graph, which raises the question: for what is that graph exactly?

The tweet, which was eventually deleted, revealed that WikiLeaks was playing with the idea of gathering the personal information of all verified Twitter users into one database. Such info would include those pertaining to families, relationships, and even finances.

That certainly sounds like a surveillance plan or, worse, an opportunity for blackmail against verified Twitter users.

The WikiLeaks proposal was quickly taken by Twitter users as a creepy move and an outright doxxing threat, but WikiLeaks denied the allegations and insisted that the information would not be published. The organization went on to say that the idea was simply to create a proximity graph using the data of verified Twitter users.

Many Twitter users, especially verified ones, expressed doubt about the organization's intention.

However, the negative reaction is not exactly a surprise, considering how WikiLeaks has already doxxed Hacking Team, Sony, and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennans under the guise of transparency. While transparency has a nice ring to it, affecting the lives of uninvolved civilians simply by being connected to a powerful organization or personalities remains questionable and could ruin lives.

Of course, WikiLeaks was quick to defend its proposed database, and even cited how Wikipedia, LinkedIn, Google, and Facebook have already been doing the same thing. But Twitter users were not buying it, especially after the group deleted the original tweet with a shortlist of information it wanted to gather.

Even Twitter founder Jack Dorsey retweeted the social media site's terms of use despite not providing any context. However, it is not too difficult to connect the message to the WikiLeaks tweet. Dorsey's tweet reminded people about privacy of information.

News outlets were also quick to pick up the story, but WikiLeaks simply accused them of being dishonest and making false assumptions with regard to the doxxing accusation.

The bottom line is that it is not only verified Twitter users who are concerned about WikiLeaks's plan but also regular users and even the organization's own supporters. Can WikiLeaks get out of this mess? The group's pronouncements, vague explanations, and defensive responses are not really doing anything to assuage people's concern.