Edward Snowden and the Unwarranted NSA Surveillance

Edward Snowden’s revelation about NSA surveillance on both the American public and foreign nationals drew a slew of debate and controversies. The sustained effect was to damage the American image to both the citizens and other nations. The timeline of events that surrounded these revelations were as follows:

1. Greenwald starts a political commentator blog that focused on the politics in the state capital (12). One of the key issues he raised was Bush-era NSA surveillance, and his firm stance against this surveillance that made Snowden reach out to him.
2. Snowden contacts Glenn Greenwald via email using the username ‘Cincinnatus’ (36). Tells him to secure his communication before he can share classified documents on unwarranted NSA surveillance.
3. Snowden contacts documentary film maker Laura Poitras and asks her to work with Greenwald in revealing the leaked documents (51).
4. Snowden calls Poitras and Greenwald to Hong Kong for a meeting (73), but only after sending some of the leaked documentation which Greenwald peruses in flight.
5. Poitras, Greenwald and a long time Guardian correspondent Ewen MacAskill travel to Hong Kong to see Snowden (115). The trip is funded by The Guardian.
6. Poitras and Greenwald meet Snowden, and interview him. Their first article documenting the complicity of Verizon in unwarranted surveillance is released (301). This was after The Guardian turned down the Government request not to run the story.
7. Story makes major headlines (302). The Government answers in characteristic post-9/11 fearmongering about it being necessary since the “people want the homeland kept safe.”
8. The release on information about the PRISM program which claimed that the Government, in collaboration with the big internet companies Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Yahoo! were tracking their users (313). The companies deny the claims.
9. Progressive release of other major government documents including that on the BOUNDLESS INFORMANT which detailed the extent of the NSA data collection program in clear detail (346).
10. Edward Snowden reveals himself as the source of the leak (356). Media makes a target of him, with calls for his arrest forcing him into hiding.
11. The Government official stance was no unwarranted surveillance was carries out on Americans. Obama’s exacts sentiments were unwarranted surveillance on Americans simply did not occur, “by law and by rule, and unless they [the authorities] go to a court, and obtain a warrant, and seek probable cause, the same way it’s always been.”
12. Government reacts, charging Snowden as a spy under the Espionage Act of 1917. Snowden leaves Hong Kong in fear of the US/Hong Kong extradition treaty and is granted asylum in Russia (Who Is Hosting This, 2015).
13. Revelations strain relations with allies. Brazilian and German President Dilma Rousseff and Angela Merkel respectively make diplomatic protests. France President Francois Hollande refuses further engagement with the US unless he is given security guarantees by the US (Who Is Hosting This, 2015).
14. Britain’s GHCQ identified as a prime partner of NSA in the leaked documents, along with other British intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6, are subjected to a parliamentary inquiry for the first time in their history (Intelligence Security Committee, 2015).
15. Bill tabled in the house to stop the bulk collection of phone metadata. Another ruling by a US district court classified NSA surveillance as unconstitutional. Internationally, Brazil has enacted an “Internet Constitution’ to ensure the internet remains open and free (Sledge, 2015).
16. Business wise, Verizon had contracts in Germany cancelled, while Boeing had a contract to supply the Brazilian military with fighter jets cancelled too. In addition, Google was prevented from helping in voter registration in India while CISCO sales in China dropped 10% (Who Is Hosting This, 2015).
17. Snowden’s leaked documents have made more people conscious about their internet privacy, although some are just as unconcerned as ever (Sledge, 2015).

b)

For it to be considered one’s moral duty to take on the role of whistle-blower, two preconditions have to be met. The first is that evidence collected would convince a reasonable and impartial observer that the person in question has concern for public safety. The concern should also be warranted by the actions of the organization he tells on, which upon examination should be found likely to cause serious or considerable public harm. Snowden qualifies to be considered a whistle blower in this aspect. The reason for this observation is that he revealed the details of the NSA surveillance of American and non-American citizens, even in the face of constant denials by the NSA intelligence chiefs. The information constituted grave legal oversights and a clear flouting of the US constitution. Since these acts trumped upon the rights of the citizenry, they were likely to cause the harm to society. Under these circumstances, Snowden is justified in whistle-blowing.

The second measure on the appropriateness of calling Edward Snowden a whistle-blower lies in whether there is strong evidence linking making the information public to the fact that it will prevent the threat of serious harm that the actions pose. Through the revelation of the unwarranted surveillance, Snowden made the public aware of the Government’s blatant disregard for the rule of law, and the constitution. Snowden’s actions made people more aware of privacy concerns while on the internet and as a result people have become more vigil. Subject to these revelations, any loopholes or legal grey areas that may have implicitly allowed surveillance without warrants have been brought into sharp focus. As a result of this awareness, there is a push to fix the legal loophole that allow for just such an occurrence. In this way, we can surmise that Snowden’s efforts have made the prevention of future occurrences of actions similar to these much more difficult. Snowden, therefore, qualifies to be called a whistle-blower.

References

Intelligence Security Committee,. (2015). Special Reports – The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament. Isc.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2015, from http://isc.independent.gov.uk/committee-reports/special-reports

Sledge, M. (2015). These 8 Things Happened Only Because Of Edward Snowden. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 13 November 2015, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/05/edward-snowden-nsa-effect_n_5447431.html?ir=India&adsSiteOverride=in

Who Is Hosting This,. (2015). Snowden’s Global Impact | Visual Timeline. Who Is Hosting This: The Blog. Retrieved 13 November 2015, from http://www.whoishostingthis.com/blog/2015/05/20/snowdens-global-impact/