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Edward Snowden: the World Says No To Surveillance

Posted by Soulskill on from the except-for-the-parts-that-say-yes dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Two years after his whistle-blowing, Edward Snowden finds that his action had profound effects on political decision making and on citizen's understanding of privacy issues. He writes in the NY Times, "In a single month, the N.S.A.’s invasive call-tracking program was declared unlawful by the courts and disowned by Congress. After a White House-appointed oversight board investigation found that this program had not stopped a single terrorist attack, even the president who once defended its propriety and criticized its disclosure has now ordered it terminated. This is the power of an informed public. ... We are witnessing the emergence of a post-terror generation, one that rejects a worldview defined by a singular tragedy. For the first time since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, we see the outline of a politics that turns away from reaction and fear in favor of resilience and reason."

6 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. I can agree to that... by Penguinisto · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Mr. Snowden, love him or hate him, actually did a service to the world by pointing out something that, if left ignored, would have rivaled the old East German Stasi in scope and reach (well, if it hasn't already. Hint: It probably has.)

    I would say that if anyone deserved the title of 'whistleblower', this man damned sure qualifies.

    Now, the next step - what in the hell do we actually do about it aside from individual protection? Sure, recent congressional actions (Thank you, Sen. Paul!) have put an end to at least one program... problem is, another grew to take its place (basically, the FBI is picking up where the NSA is allegedly leaving off).

    I suspect this is going to take a lot more work than deleting web cookies and an occasional filibuster...

    --
    Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    1. Re:I can agree to that... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Maybe the next step (for Americans, at least) should be standing up and demanding that our Government Grant Snowden Clemency.

      Or, at a bare minimum, a guarantee of a fair and PUBLIC trial.

      But, most of can't even be arsed into doing that. Given how we treat those who stand up for us, I am surprised anyone bothers.

    2. Re:I can agree to that... by Terwin · · Score: 4, Interesting

      "would have rivaled the old East German Stasi"

      Are you kidding me? When was the last time you feared for your life because you said the president is doing a crappy job? How many of your relatives or friends have disappeared into the night?

      Hear about what happened to political activists in Wisconsin when they went against the unions or supported those who did?

      http://www.nationalreview.com/...

      If something similar is going on today, it would be illegal for anyone to talk about it.
      So unless you have personally tried to take political action against the President or other entrenched powers, what makes you think you would *not* be given cause to fear for your life and those of your loved ones should you do so?

    3. Re:I can agree to that... by blue9steel · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Agreed, he's guilty as sin, but he did the right thing morally and for the country at great personal cost, we should pardon him.

  2. Re:This is my problem with Snowden by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    1. World != US
    2. Before his relevations all infosec guys who knew and were talking about this stuff were considered conspiracypathic lunatics. Now the people who deny existance of this stuff are considered idiots or liars.

  3. Re:This is my problem with Snowden by Nite_Hawk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This isn't about self-delusion, this is about politics. It's good for snowden (and us) to claim progress and warm people up to the idea that even Washington thinks totally unchecked surveillance maybe goes a little too far. I suspect it's also ultimately good for the political class too if they play their cards right. Snowden is a chaotic figure that divides party votes in strange and unexpected ways. I imagine mainstream politicians hate that. He needs to be either a traitor or a patriot, not something in-between that divides their votes. The freedom act is a nice bump for Snowden into the patriot camp. It gives politicians cover for supporting him (or at least claiming he was well meaning if misguided). Once that starts, I think it will snowball and Snowden eventually will come back home (while his message will be coopted and perverted to benefit re-election campaigns).