The links that bind: WikiLeaks, Twitter, and the Julian Assange case

ABSTRACT

In the decade since the founding of WikiLeaks, no non-leak-related issue has dominated coverage of the organization more than the August 2010 allegations made by two women in Stockholm against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. This case has been addressed on the WikiLeaks Twitter feed on a consistent basis over the past 6 years. The tweets from WikiLeaks to millions of followers constitute a form of popular communication where a broad—albeit somewhat prefigured—audience is targeted using an open social media platform. With this audience in mind, I analyze the use of Twitter by WikiLeaks to address the 2010 rape allegations against Assange (and the subsequent follow-on events after those allegations), with a particular focus on two issues: (a) the framing by WikiLeaks of the allegations, Sweden, rape, and feminism; and (b) how the sources (links) used in those tweets to back up claims should be seen as part of the general framing process.

Acknowledgment

The author thanks the editors and reviewers at Popular Communication for their comments and reflections on earlier drafts of this article.

Notes

¹ http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/wikileaks-founder-baffled-by-sex-assault-claims/story-fn775xjq-1225976459286

² https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/feb/07/julian-assange-prosecutor

³ Sources: http://www.dw.com/en/timeline-julian-assanges-story-so-far/a-19029631; http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11949341

⁴ Sources: http://www.dw.com/en/timeline-julian-assanges-story-so-far/a-19029631; http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11949341