Dive Brief:

• WikiLeaks has released private data about hundreds of innocent people over the last year, according to the Associated Press.
• The Associated Press’ own research located the private details of survivors of sexual abuse, sick children and the mentally ill, among others.
• The publication of personal data contradicts the site's claim that it is a defender of privacy and has drawn condemnation from some of its biggest supporters.   

Dive Insight:

When WikiLeaks debuted in 2006, founder Julian Assange said it included a system to protect people's private data.

But over the last year the group published personal medical files as well as sensitive family, financial or identity records. In one case, WikiLeaks named teenage rape victims. In another, the site published the name of a Saudi citizen arrested for being gay. In Saudi Arabia, homosexuality is punishable by death.

WikiLeaks' stated mission is to expose censored or restricted material "involving war, spying and corruption" to the public.

The AP said it also found that the identity records, phone numbers and other personal data WikiLeaks publishes is often exploited by criminals.