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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange calls Facebook a spy machine. Are they?

By Chris Le

May 3, 2011 / 1:50 PM EDT / CBS News

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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange speaks to the press CBS

CBS/What's Trending) - Julian Assange is at it again. In an interview with Russia Today, the WikiLeaks founder and infamous whistleblower called Facebook the "most appalling spying machine that has ever been invented." "Here we have the world's most comprehensive database about people, their relationships, their names, their addresses, their locations and the communications with each other, their relatives, all sitting within the United States, all accessible to U.S. Intelligence." He goes on to list Google and Yahoo among the sites complicit with the government's role of Big Brother.

The news is more than a little ironic considering Assange has made his name by releasing ultra classified information and is seen by some as the preeminent champion of transparency -- granted, government transparency. But, his assertions about Facebook also make sense if you're a conspiracy theorist.

Facebook is the world's most popular social networking site with over 600 million users, all are whom are having conversations via their profiles, which are constantly self-updated to broadcast every thought and location. It's our entire lives in one neat, digital and easily searchable package.

And, we've all played the role stalker on Facebook, feverishly trying to find our friend's cute friend whom we just met at the party. (Admit it!) So, who's to say the government doesn't do the same? I wouldn't put it past them -- or Mark Zuckerberg.

So, if you agree with Assange, you should tread carefully the next time you update your profile. With the simple act of adding a friend, writing a status update or checking-in at a location understand that you are also, as Assange says, "doing free work for United States Intelligence agencies."

On the flip side, Facebook has been quick to respond, calling Assange's claims overblown. A spokesperson for the site tells Forbes that Facebook has a "dedicated team of CIPP certified professionals" that carefully manages requests from law enforcement.

"There has never been a time we have been pressured to turn over data -- we fight every time we believe the legal process is insufficient. The legal standards for compelling a company to turn over data are determined by the laws of the country, and we respect that standard," the Facebook official said.

Okay, now who do you trust: Assange or Facebook?