Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

5 Years on, US Government Still Counting Snowden Leak Costs (apnews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the gary-the-snail dept.

National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden blew the lid off U.S. government surveillance methods five years ago, but intelligence chiefs complain that revelations from the trove of classified documents he disclosed are still trickling out. From a report: That includes recent reporting on a mass surveillance program run by close U.S. ally Japan and on how the NSA targeted bitcoin users to gather intelligence to combat narcotics and money laundering. The Intercept, an investigative publication with access to Snowden documents, published stories on both subjects. The top U.S. counterintelligence official said journalists have released only about 1 percent taken by the 34-year-old American, now living in exile in Russia, "so we don't see this issue ending anytime soon." "This past year, we had more international, Snowden-related documents and breaches than ever," Bill Evanina, who directs the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, said at a recent conference. "Since 2013, when Snowden left, there have been thousands of articles around the world with really sensitive stuff that's been leaked."

12 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. Good by TimMD909 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm happy to hear they're still facing consequences, even if those consequences aren't nearly severe enough to make me content.

    1. Re:Good by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Both parties are for snooping on others but not themselves. Politicians are flip-floppers who reflect absent-minded voters.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  2. And 200+ years on by rsilvergun · · Score: 4, Interesting

    in the history of the United States and Cop Math is still a thing.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
  3. Not preventing Snowdon 2.0 by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The government isn't really doing anything to prevent a Snowden 2.0 either. They're still after prosecuting him, which means the next Snowden will also flee overseas and leak to the media. There isn't really a "legal" way for someone like Snowden to report government abuses; the only alternative is through the media.

    I've not seen the government make any steps to prevent the next Snowden from following the same steps Snowden made.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    1. Re:Not preventing Snowdon 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      When you find out your government has dozens if not 100s of illegal operations running, and you realize that everyone above you is involved, what exactly are you meant to do?

    2. Re:Not preventing Snowdon 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Absolutely incorrect.
      There are multiple chains of authority that someone in the IC can report to if they discovery improper behavior. Local office, agency IG, other agency IGs, the IC IG, even the Congressional Oversight Committees.

      Sure. You could even report the improper behaviour to the guy who's doing it. Or to President Trump himself. The effect will be the same in every case however. You will suffer more than the person you are reporting. Sometimes just a little. Sometimes lots. There have been plenty of cases where people got serious shit for reporting up the chain.

    3. Re:Not preventing Snowdon 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/22/how-pentagon-punished-nsa-whistleblowers

      Quit lying your ass off and learn how to use Google for fuck's sake

    4. Re:Not preventing Snowdon 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      > Thomas Drake reported that he thought there were illegal activities going in. The lawyers reviewed his accusations, and determined that he was wrong - the programs in questions were legal.

      It's rather telling that your primary concern is whether something was "legal" rather than being, you know, right.

      (Torture and execution without due process are only two examples of things that are perfectly hunky-dory if all you care about is legality.)

      > Drake was not a whistleblower. He was wrong about his facts, and he paid for committing crimes based on his ignorance.

      Keep looking for that true Scotsman, Mr. Clapper.

  4. Let me play you a song by Snotnose · · Score: 5, Funny

    On my tiny violin.

  5. Yeesh, would it be cheaper... by RyanFenton · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Wouldn't it be cheaper to, you know, not rely on extraordinary rendition, illegal spying, extra-constitutional structurally biased special courts, intra-agency webs of secrecy, and all that?

    This seems more than a bit like "If it weren't for those darn meddling kids, everything would have been fine, JUST FINE," then complaining how expensive that now-ruined mask on the floor was.

    Ryan Fenton

  6. Greatest Cost by cybersquid · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The greatest cost is the continuing loss of faith & trust in our government.

    The fact that the U.S. government continue to persecute this whistle-blower is much more damning than the things he revealed.

    IMO Snowden should be pardoned & given a medal.

  7. And Clapper is still not in jail for perjury by blind+biker · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Instead, he's landed a cushy job at CNN.

    --
    "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.