The online disclosure of thousands of classified diplomatic, military and intelligence documents by the shadowy Internet site WikiLeaks has dramatically intensified the debate over government secrecy. Open-government advocates argue that federal agencies, including the CIA, keep too much information from the public, undermining the ability of citizens to keep a check on official wrongdoing. Secrecy supporters argue that modern technology gives far too many people access to sensitive information that could threaten the nation’s welfare if released. The Obama administration is taking steps to open more of the government’s business to public scrutiny, but disclosure advocates say President Obama needs to do even more. Meanwhile, lawmakers, intelligence officials and secrecy experts are debating whether the Espionage Act of 1917, which prohibits the “willful” disclosure of “information relating to the national defense,” needs to be updated.

Alex Kingsbury writes about national security and the intelligence community for U.S. News & World Report. He made several trips to Iraq in 2007 and 2008 to cover the Iraq War, and also has written about steroids in baseball, campaign finance reform and education reform. He holds a B.A. in history from George Washington University and a B.S. in Journalism from Columbia University.