“Do not use Facebook and Twitter”-Egyptian revolution manual

WikiLeaks founder has told Russian media that he’s discovered that popular social networking tools are really tools for many governments to collect data on the users.

Julian Assange is talking about Facebook, Twitter, even Yahoo and Google.  He says an Egyptian revolution manual warns people not to use the social networking sites, because in past demonstrations, the demonstrators that used Facebook, or Twitter, were immediately targeted and arrested by government forces.  Assange says social networking sites provide governments with a cheap, almost free way to gather information.

“So Facebook in particular, is the most appalling spying machine that has ever been ever invented.”- Julian Assange, Russia Today interview

Assange points out that governments are not directly involved, but are taking advantage of the fact that people love to post even the most detrimental information about themselves, and others, on the internet.

He also says that the social media sites have “…built in interfaces…” with intelligence agencies.  This came as a result of legal pressure from the U.S. government.  Rather than deal with individual court orders for individual databases, media sites decided it would be easier to give government agencies blanket access.

“Everyone should understand that when they add their friends to Facebook they’re doing free work for United States intelligence agencies in building these databases for them.”-Julian Assange, Russia Today interview

Assange’s interview is on RT web site. It is in two parts, totaling 41 minutes.  His comments about social media sites are at the end of the second part.