[WikiEN-l] Intellipedia the intelligence version of Wikipedia launched

Wed Nov 1 05:58:21 UTC 2006

Folks,

C/Net reports that the US intelligence community has launched its version of
Wikipedia.

http://news.com.com/Intelligence+czar+unveils+spy+version+of+Wikipedia/2100-7348_3-6131309.html

*The U.S. intelligence community on Tuesday unveiled its own secretive
version of Wikipedia, saying the popular online encyclopedia format known
for its openness is key to the future of American espionage.*

The office of U.S. intelligence czar John Negroponte announced Intellipedia,
which allows intelligence analysts and other officials to collaboratively
add and edit content on the government's classified Intelink Web much like
its more famous namesake on the
Web<http://news.com.com/Study+Wikipedia+as+accurate+as+Britannica/2100-1038_3-5997332.html?tag=nl>.

A "top secret" Intellipedia system, currently available to the 16 agencies
that make up the U.S. intelligence community, has grown to more than 28,000
pages and 3,600 registered users since its introduction on April 17. Less
restrictive versions exist for "secret" and "sensitive but unclassified"
material.

The system is also available to the Transportation Security Administration
and national laboratories.

Intellipedia is currently being used to assemble a major intelligence
report, known as a national intelligence estimate, on Nigeria as well as the
State Department's annual country reports on terrorism, officials said.

___________________________________________________________

Intelligence officials are so enthusiastic about Intellipedia that they plan
to provide access to Britain, Canada and Australia.

Even China could be granted access to help produce an unclassified
intelligence estimate on the worldwide threat posed by infectious diseases.