Julian Assange: iPhone, BlackBerry, Gmail users Screwed

Julian Assange, Wikileaks founder, stated during a news conference at the City University London in London December 1, 2011 that entire populations are being monitored through the use of smartphones, and email programs on the internet.

"Today we released over 287 files documenting the reality of the international mass surveillance industry, an industry which now sells equipment to dictators and democracies alike in order to intercept entire populations," Assange said.

"This in-depth investigation shows that this is not the relatively small industry it was 10 years ago. 9/11 has provided a license for European countries, for the U.S., for Canada, South Africa and others to develop spying systems that affect us all," Assange told reporters in London.

Assange held a news conference to launch a new project of the Wikileaks website called "Spy Files", its claims show a global industry that gives governments tools to spy on their citizens. The files reveal the activities of about 160 companies in 25 countries which develop technologies to allow the tracking and monitoring of individuals by their mobile phones, email accounts and Internet browsing histories.

Assange is now seeking permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court and a decision is expected on 5 December on his extradition to Sweden. Swedish authorities had began an investigation into allegations concerning Assange's behaviour in separate sexual encounters involving two different women.