The Secret's Out

The secret's out. We now know the identify of Deep Throat. In this 21st Century, do we care? W. Mark Felt's identity as Deep Throat is an incredible revelation. It's incredible because in this age of access to information and lack of confidentiality, no one has successfully broken this story before the Vanity Fair exclusive. It's also amazing because depending on where you get your news, Felt has been branded both a traitor and a hero.

According to a Fox News poll on June 2, 2005, 55% of those who participated consider Felt a disgrace compared to 15% who feel he is a hero. Nearly 25% felt the story was so old, it was no longer relevant. In a New York Times article by Katharine O. Seelye, many of the sources quoted are mixed regarding Felt's role in the Watergate scandal. Regardless of your viewpoint, it has been a truly historical week as we re-live the Nixon administration and the Watergate scandal, debate source confidentiality, and draw conclusions regarding Felt's legacy.

All this leads me to another question to consider. At what point is privacy dead and confidentiality overridden? In a Washington Post article last year, Michael Kinsey writes about the need for anonymous sources in response to the White House leak whereby the name of a CIA operative was released. He writes that although anonymous sources are a valid and important tool of journalism, undercover agents are just as valid a tool of espionage.

What's next? Will we revert to undercover dealings and Big Brother? According to The Mobile Technology Weblog, soon there won't be any secrets left.