Daniel Domscheit-Berg

Daniel Domscheit-Berg, born in 1978, is a prominent German technology activist and writer, renowned for his role as the former spokesperson for WikiLeaks. He gained significant attention with the publication of his book, Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World's Most Dangerous Website, released in two thousand eleven. His journey into the world of whistleblowing began in two thousand seven when he met Julian Assange at the Chaos Computer Club's annual conference.

In August two thousand ten, Domscheit-Berg's relationship with WikiLeaks took a tumultuous turn when he was suspended by Assange after questioning his leadership. By September of the same year, he officially resigned, citing structural issues within the organization and expressing his unwillingness to take further responsibility. Following his departure, he controversially destroyed thousands of unpublished documents, a move that sparked considerable debate.

Shortly after leaving WikiLeaks, Domscheit-Berg announced his plans to create OpenLeaks, a new platform for anonymous online leaks. He unveiled the preliminary launch of this project at a Chaos Computer Club event in August two thousand eleven, inviting hackers to test its security. However, the launch faced significant challenges and ultimately failed to go online, leading to criticism from the CCC, which expelled him for allegedly misusing the club's reputation. This expulsion was later revoked in February two thousand twelve.

In September two thousand eleven, Domscheit-Berg's split from Assange and WikiLeaks was highlighted as a pivotal moment that contributed to the release of over two hundred fifty-one thousand United States diplomatic cables during the Cablegate affair. His influence and insights into the world of digital activism earned him recognition, and in two thousand eleven, he was named one of Foreign Policy magazine's FP Top 100 Global Thinkers.