The Norwegian politician who proposed WikiLeaks for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize stated that the organization has been nominated for the prestigious award. The Norwegian Nobel Committee accepts nominations until February 1, with panel members having until the end of the month to make their own proposals. Snorre Valen, a member of the Norwegian parliament, believes that WikiLeaks has played a significant role in promoting freedom of speech and transparency in the 21st century by exposing corruption, human rights violations, and war crimes. Those eligible to make nominations include members of national parliaments, law professors, political science professors, and previous Nobel Peace Prize winners. The committee chose not to make a statement regarding the WikiLeaks proposal or any other nominations. Washington is displeased with WikiLeaks and Julian Assange for leaking numerous confidential documents and diplomatic cables, which they believe have negatively affected US interests abroad, including peace efforts. Assange, an Australian, is facing extradition to Sweden from Britain for questioning in a sexual assault case that he and his supporters believe is a smear campaign aimed at shutting down WikiLeaks, a non-profit organization funded by the public and rights groups. Awarding WikiLeaks the Nobel Prize would likely lead to criticism of the Nobel Committee, which has faced controversy with its recent choices of jailed Chinese pro-democracy activist Liu Xiaobo and President Barack Obama shortly after his election. The definition of the Nobel Prize is being stretched, as it was established by Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite, who specified in his will that it should be given to those who have done the most for promoting peace and fraternity between nations. In recent years, the committee appointed by the Norwegian parliament has expanded the scope of Nobel's definition to include human rights, climate activism, and micro-financing, a move that has faced criticism from traditionalists of the Nobel Prize. Observers of the Nobel Prize believe that awarding a prize to WikiLeaks would underscore the increasing influence of specialized Internet platforms and social media in driving global change. Platforms like Twitter and YouTube have played crucial roles in mobilizing citizens in countries where the government tightly controls traditional media, as seen in Egypt's recent anti-government demonstrations. Kristian Berg Harpviken, from the PRIO peace think tank in Oslo, suggested that this year's Nobel Prize could focus on the innovative use of new technologies for promoting peace, and he predicted that a female recipient would be chosen after a series of male winners. Harpviken's top choice for the prize was the Russian human rights organization Memorial and its leader, Svetlana Gannushkina.