I'm sure a few of you will have heard about former CIA member Edward Snowden leaking top-secret information on the National Security Agency's activities of secretly gathering information on people via social media. I wondered what everyone's opinions are on this matter. Some people have called Edward Snowden a hero while others have referred to him as a traitor and a threat to National Security. He is currently in Hong Kong but is seeking permanent political asylum elsewhere as the US government looks to capture him for treason. Click Here for Information on PRISM Interview with Edward Snowden after leaking information: [youtube]5yB3n9fu-rM[/youtube] Thoughts?
Anyone who thought this wasn't happening was being incredibly naive. This shouldn't come as a shock to anyone, and it certainly didn't to me. Whether it's right or wrong is the core issue here. I believe Obama was right in saying that you can't have 100% privacy and 100% security. There's a trade-off. Just depends how much of a trade-off you're willing to stomach. If this is used solely for national security reasons, it could be a useful tool. But there are some very real risks about it potentially being abused or falling into the wrong hands. It's somewhat unsettling. In conclusion: I'm on the fence.
I'd like to believe that the problem wasn't the snooping itself. It was snooping without permission. If the government was fully transparent and explained to the nation that they wanted to collect your data for national security, then I believe that you could get the correct ratio (for lack of a better word) between privacy and national security. The government could've asked the nation how much they are willing to give up. Eventually, via long and convoluted methods an agreed ratio will have been made between the citizens and the government between privacy and national security. This would've been completely transparent and only unreasonable people would've been against this. Due to the hidden nature they now have everyone hating the government.
^ That is where I stand as well. What really fucking irritates me is that, in the same week this information leaks, the FBI raided the Anonymous hacker's home who helped uncover the Steubenville rapists, guns drawn at his entire family, and arrested him. Government: We need to secretly have access to your information so that we can protect you and bring terrorists to justice. Government: YOU GAINED SECRET ACCESS TO SOMEONE'S PRIVATE INFORMATION TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND BRING RAPISTS TO JUSTICE. RAID ON YOUR HOME AND MORE JAIL TIME THAN THE RAPISTS. The U.S. government now clearly sees itself as above its own law. Needless to say, that is a problem.
Doesn't matter what we think. He's fucked, we're fucked, and the government will continue to keep spying on everyone regardless if we want them to or not. And lol at needing national security. They haven't prevented shit anyways. We have a bunch of n00ks that will deter any country from doing anything to us. The only "threat" is from small "terrorist" groups that would probably never be possible to prevent anyways. There's a bigger threat of you being harmed or killed by anything else in existence. Choking on gum, slipping on ice, being attacked by an animal, drowning, being killed by your partner in your sleep, and on and on, etc. These are all more common and dangerous to us than any national security threat. That's why anyone justifying trading in civil liberties for security is completely irrational. Governments are great at duping citizens, though.
For more Information regarding the Process and the Amount of Data collected, the Guardian has a really good Article and Feature Up and Running here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/08/nsa-boundless-informant-global-datamining
He exposed the NSA for something meant to be kept secret. He's anything but a coward; he stood up for what was right.
He knew when he went into that field of work that he would possible be exposed to something sensitive and then pretended to be "appalled" when he saw that the NSA was doing some spying on China, even though China had been doing the same to us at a greater rate. I don't for a second believe that he did it for our rights or freedom. Otherwise why bother fleeing the country if he feels like he's done nothing wrong all the while saying he wants to stay in China because he believes they share his "values." That last part is laughable especially given this: http://www.foxbusiness.com/governme...-weapons-systems-breached-by-chinese-hackers/
Why bother fleeing the country? Because he's not an idiot. Also, you're a bit confused. Hong Kong and mainland China are not the same. I also don't remember any quote where he says China "shares his values." I remember him saying that "Hong Kong respects individual freedom and dissent against the government" or something along those lines. And that's true, Hong Kong's government is big on individual liberty.
Hong Kong has the freest economy in the world. It has almost nothing in common with China. He didn't even leak info to China. He exposed what the NSA was up to, which was spying on the entire world. I'm pretty sure Obama has seen all the dick pics I've sent.
[video=youtube;rENTl5JKzlQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rENTl5JKzlQ[/video] [video=youtube;TRx4pLbfPyM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TRx4pLbfPyM[/video]
This. Him and Bradley Manning both do not deserve the titles of "heroes". I don't agree with the government spying on people's social media to an extent, but they both knew what their jobs were. Like others have said, if you weren't aware that the government was already doing this, you're just blind. Is it right? No. But news like this is more of a "oh my gawd, I'll be seen as the good guy and get all the attention," not "I care about the American people"
Do you really think Snowden betrayed his government for fame? Because of his actions, he's now on the shit-list of one of the strongest powers in the world. Knowing he would be named a "traitor" by his own country isn't a risk someone would take just for "attention".