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Edward Snowden: 'The People Are Still Powerless, But Now They're Aware' (theguardian.com)

Posted by msmash on from the Closer-look dept.

Edward Snowden has no regrets five years on from leaking the biggest cache of top-secret documents in history. He is wanted by the US. He is in exile in Russia. But he is satisfied with the way his revelations of mass surveillance have rocked governments, intelligence agencies and major internet companies. From a report Snowden, weighing up the changes, said some privacy campaigners had expressed disappointment with how things have developed, but he did not share it. "People say nothing has changed: that there is still mass surveillance. That is not how you measure change. Look back before 2013 and look at what has happened since. Everything changed."

The most important change, he said, was public awareness. "The government and corporate sector preyed on our ignorance. But now we know. People are aware now. People are still powerless to stop it but we are trying. The revelations made the fight more even."

9 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. Narrator: by DalM · · Score: 4, Funny

    Narrator: "Unable to bare the thought of his fellow Americans being spied on by their government, our hero releases the top secret documents and flees to... *pauses... squints at script...* Russia."

    1. Re:Narrator: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It's just being practical. Name any developed country that 1) isn't spying on its citizens and 2) wouldn't cave to US pressure to hand Snowden over. The second consideration outweighs the first when it's your own life on the line.

    2. Re:Narrator: by ChromeAeonuim · · Score: 5, Interesting

      A more accurate way of putting that is that the US is so full of shit that he had to turn to Russia, of all places, for his own safety. Instead of trying to fix the problem, the US government decided to try to shoot the messenger who uncovered their criminal activity (and yes, until the Fourth Amendment is officially repealed instead of just blatantly disregarded, spying on citizens is still criminal).

    3. Re: Narrator: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Actually, he fled to Ecuador, but the State Department yanked his passport and he got stuck in Russia. People like to skip that bit...

  2. Hero by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Snowden gave up everything for a bunch of morons that for the most part don't give a shit. They deserve whatever comes next.

  3. Re:Thief and a traitor! by ChromeAeonuim · · Score: 5, Informative

    "Privacy is Treason." Straight out of 1984 right there.

  4. Willful Ignorance proves things are worse. by geekmux · · Score: 3

    Sorry, but nothing has really changed. In fact it's probably worse now.

    Users used to be unaware, and they didn't give a shit about security or privacy. Now they're fully aware, and they STILL don't give a shit about security or privacy. It's willful ignorance.

    And what people are truly powerless over, are their own internet addictions and peer pressure. It's FAR more important to overshare and generally be the internet narcissist society expects you to be than it is to recognize and respect any risk involved with that activity.

  5. Aware of what? by jfdavis668 · · Score: 3

    Did I miss something?

  6. Re:Thief and a traitor! by another_twilight · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law." - Martin Luther King Jr.