In 2013, Edward Snowden was the source for major leaks, or whistleblowing, about the US government's surveillance of civilians. These actions and their impact have been portrayed in many forms, most notably the documentary Citizenfour, the movie Snowden (based on the book The Snowden Files), and more recently, Snowden's own autobiography Permanent Record.
In Permanent Record, he tells his story of watching the internet evolve and the difference of it from before and after 9/11. He went on to work for the CIA and NSA. There, he would realize the extent that the government can watch over citizens. In Citizenfour, he recalls being able to see a live stream of a drone's view following people from their houses. Immediately after releasing Permanent Record, the US filed a lawsuit against the book for breaking non-disclosure agreements. The case was ruled in favor of the government so the earnings of the book would go to the government. This lawsuit seemingly brought more of the public eye on to the book, thus it sold more.
The leaks sparked a large debate about privacy, more specifically the lack of it. The question of how much the government knows about us was raised. They can figure out what we buy, who we talk to, and what we say with metro cards, credit cards, and phone data. He has been praised and criticized alike for his leaks. People will say his leaks were beneficial, but the fashion in which he released the information did more damage than intended. Questioning how he released the information is the opposite of what Edward Snowden wants. In Citizenfour, he stated that he does not want the ordeal to become about him. It should be clear that it is not an issue only pertaining to him, it is an issue for everyone.
The key point to take away from all of it is not who Edward Snowden is. Not how he released the information. It is the information itself. How the government can be watching us seemingly at all times and how we had no knowledge of it.
-Coleman Clougherty
This was a really interesting blog post! I found it interesting that you talked about how more damage was done, and some people did not fully understand what he was trying to say, and what his intention was.
ReplyDeleteI think that it's extremely ironic that the government has been slowly prying away our privacy with things like the PATRIOT Act, and then they get up in arms when things are reversed. It feels like a "Rules for thee but not for me" situation.
ReplyDeleteLet me add this book to my reading list really quickly... I don't know much about the Snowden leaks at all, and you did a great job explaining them to someone who doesn't know much like me. I was reminded of 1984 reading this.
ReplyDeleteYikes. I feel a little creeped out, it is really crazy how much of our information is out there for people to see. It was a well written blog post and gave me a good explanation of something I didn't know about in not too many words. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThe question of government control vs. personal freedom and privacy is definitley an arguement we've had before,and with all the protests against the police and the upcoming election it seems even more relevent now. This sounds like a really interesting book to read, and I appreciate your perspective on it!
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