Julian Assange's internet's down and everyone on Twitter has a theory
UPDATE: Oct. 17, 2016, 3:54 p.m. EDT Updated with another tweet from WikiLeaks.
Sound the cyberwar cannons. It has begun.
On Monday afternoon the WikiLeaks Twitter account sent out an urgent tweet to the masses: "Julian Assange's internet link has been intentionally severed by a state party. We have activated the appropriate contingency plans."
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The Australian founder of the activist website, known for releasing leaked and classified documents, was apparently having a connectivity issue.
While some immediately recalled seeing Hillary Clinton lurking outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London with a big pair of scissors, there were some alternate, equally valid theories.
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WikiLeaks has played a significant role in the current U.S. election. It released troves of documents from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in July, forcing the resignation of Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz after tensions were revealed between the DNC and Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The organisation is currently sharing emails stolen from the account of Hillary Clinton's advisor, John Podesta.
WikiLeaks has not disclosed the origins of its documents, although some security officials have pointed to Russian hackers hoping to influence the U.S. election. The link has not been definitively proven.
Assange, for his part, has been living in the Ecuador Embassy since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden where he faces sexual misconduct charges. A United Nations panel recommended in February he should be allowed to move freely.
Assange has denied the most recent leaks were intended to damage the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, however WikiLeaks's political sympathies have been called into question.
The group's Twitter account deleted a poll in September speculating about Clinton's health, and has also deleted tweets accused of being anti-Semitic.
Still, never one to hold a grudge, Twitter has some tried and tested suggestions if Julian needs some help.
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Hours earlier, the same Twitter account sent out three cryptic tweets, leading to fevered Reddit speculation Assange had died and the tweets were a "dead man's switch" to be triggered on his demise.
Given the concern about his internet, that is presumably not the case.
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Anyway, if all else fails, Verizon's got you Julian.
If you were wondering whether WikiLeaks's actions during the U.S. election have made Twitter users (among them vast swathes of the media) take it a tad less seriously, these LOLs may be your answer.
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WikiLeaks tweeted again later Monday afternoon to confirm that following the release of Clinton's Goldman Sachs speeches on Saturday, Ecuador cut off Assange's internet.
Topics X/Twitter Elections Hillary Clinton
Ariel Bogle was an associate editor with Mashable in Australia covering technology. Previously, Ariel was associate editor at Future Tense in Washington DC, an editorial initiative between Slate and New America.
