The Edward Snowden Revelations

In 2013 Edward Snowden, while working for Booz Allen Hamilton as an NSA contractor, copied extensive amounts of classified information detailing global surveillance programs, mostly centered on the NSA and Five Eyes. Snowden proceeded to cautiously leak the particulars of various programs and operations to news organizations in the US. The leaks revealed a global surveillance apparatus, which searched private online content, tracked cellular devices, and undercut encryption, among other things. In June 2013 Snowden was charged with theft of US and foreign government property and of violating the Espionage Act of 1917. Snowden currently resides in Russia, where he has been granted a three-year asylum, while he seeks asylum elsewhere. (See John Oliver’s interview with Snowden in Russia here [note - explicit language].)

           

Disclosures

            The first major revelation that came from the Snowden leaks was the PRISM program. The program facilitated court-approved NSA access to private communications and usage of common search engines, including Yahoo and Google. However the surveillance network extended well beyond this. The leaks went on to reveal the NSA was collecting and storing phone records of millions of Americans. The United Kingdom spy agency GCHQ had tapped international fiber-optic networks, and was sharing large amounts of this data with the NSA. The United States had hacked Chinese networks, bugged European Union offices, intercepted phone calls of 35 world leaders, spied on 38 embassies, monitored US allies in Latin America through a “continent-wide surveillance programme,” collected text messages, and stored financial information, contacts, and location data. The NSA was also found to be spying on World of Warcraft, Second Life, and Xbox Live accounts and activity. NSA employees were found to be using this network to spy on their love interests, termed ‘LOVENIT,’ and track targeted individual’s sexual activity. The agency was even found to be surveilling charity organizations such as UNICEF. For a more detailed description of the major revelations see here. For a full timeline of the Snowden leaks see here. I also highly recommend playing around with the Guardian’s interactive NSA Files page, which is quite funformative, found here. Another great resource if you are interested in the documentary ‘CitizenFour’.

Fallout

            Since the Snowden revelations there has been a lot said of Snowden and his decision to reveal classified information to the public. The Pentagon has reported that Snowden’s actions will have staggering consequences to US intelligence capabilities - it will put American troops in grave danger and diminish the US’ ability to defend itself and its citizens. The report, however, seems to be purposely vague as to of what these staggering consequences might be constituted. After criticism, the DIA released a report detailing how the Snowden revelations had harmed military capabilities - a report which was heavily redacted, and of which 27 of 39 pages were withheld. The continued secrecy surrounding the programs is justified by preserving what strength the intelligence industry has left in the interest of protecting United States citizens.

            President Obama and members of Congress have agued that the surveillance programs have saved American lives, often citing the ‘thwarted 54 plots’. As it turns out however, these claims have overblown and misleading. The surveillance network played a role in less than five percent of such cases, and worse, the mass collection of US citizens’ data has led to “no discernable impact” when it comes to preventing terrorism and protecting Americans.

            Snowden remains in an undisclosed location in Russia, hoping to one day return to the United States, though he does not find this likely. Current whistleblower protection laws do not apply to government contractors like Snowden, and unless laws change, Snowden will have little prospect of returning home. Attorney General Eric Holder was quoted as saying: “Clemency isn't something that we (are) willing to consider." Other public figures have also been vocal on the issue. One of the few in support of Snowden was Ron Paul, who called Snowden’s actions courageous. On the other end of the scale, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called Snowden’s intentions suspicious, and insinuated that due to the extensive whistleblower laws (which again would not apply to Snowden), only someone who had foul intentions would flee to China.

Discussion

            Edward Snowden has been called everything from a traitor to an American hero, and the debate is not settled. Even today, in the current election cycle, we have candidates that support the surveillance programs and others that condemn them. My personal view is that Mr. Snowden exposed a network of programs that secretly intruded into millions of American’s lives on a daily basis. Even had such an intrusion been effectual at the protection of citizens and preventing terrorism, I would not have found this acceptable. These programs received an estimated $52 billion dollars of taxpayer money in FY13. I cannot stomach the idea of the taxpayer funding the mass infiltration of US citizens’ lives by the federal government, not to mention the glaring lack of tangible benefits/success. I believe Mr. Snowden to not only be brave, but also incredibly selfless - were I to come across something that I thought to be significantly immoral, and would have to give up every facet of my life as it exists today to reveal it, I’m not quite sure what I would do.