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Snowden: 2013 Surveillance ‘Child's Play’ Compared to Today

JUN 8 2023·Updated AUG 27

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Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

In an interview conducted on the 10th anniversary of Edward Snowden's revelations about mass surveillance by the US National Security Agency (NSA), the whistleblower said government capabilities for surveillance in 2013 are "child’s play" compared to today.
guardian
Expressing concern about how "enormously influential" technology has become, Snowden said artificial intelligence, commercial security cameras, and facial recognition have increased threats to privacy.
WION
But Snowden said the widespread adoption of end-to-end encryption by technology companies – which he says was a "pipe dream" in 2013 – is a positive development.
guardian
Snowden said he has "no regrets" over his disclosures, and the political fight against surveillance is something that will continue "for the rest of our lives and our children’s lives and beyond."
guardian
In 2013, Snowden leaked classified documents that revealed the US and other Western nations were indiscriminately collecting the data of private individuals. He later fled to Russia after being charged under the US Espionage Act.
Euro Weekly News

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The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

Snowden is a hero who sacrificed everything to expose illegal, warrantless surveillance that targeted citizens around the globe. Ten years on, he’s still fighting for what's right, and we ought to heed his warning about the potential for even more intrusive surveillance from new technologies, lest his sacrifices be in vain.

guardian

Pro-establishment narrative

The media valorization of Snowden as a brave crusader for truth hides a much more complicated picture. Snowden's leaks were reckless, and they severely damaged the intelligence capabilities of Western nations in their fight against terrorism. By refusing to use proper whistleblower channels, Snowden made himself little more than a common criminal. It's time he stops drumming up fear.