The leak of the diplomatic cables, though, is a bit different. I, like most people, don't fully understand how international diplomacy works, and when governments report that the leaks could seriously jeopardize their function, it seems like they might actually have a point. So are these leaks really a net benefit to society?

Transparency is a core value at Google. As a company we feel it is our responsibility to ensure that we maximize transparency around the flow of information related to our tools and services. We believe that more information means more choice, more freedom and ultimately more power for the individual.

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