Snowden: Scourge or Saviour

On June 5^th, 2013, The Guardian released a mind-blowingly large dossier containing documents revealing the NSA’s illegal and unconstitutional mass spying efforts (Gidda, M. 2013). These documents were handed over by Edward Snowden, a former employee of the CIA and former contractor for the US Government. During his years of IT work, Snowden noticed how far-reaching the NSA’s research was in terms of everyday surveillance. While employed by Booz Allen Hamilton as a contractor for the NSA he began to compile a collection of top-secret NSA documents, which outlined the extent to which they have been spying on the people of both the US and the rest of the world.

In May of 2013, Snowden told his NSA supervisor that he needed a leave of absence for medical reasons and flew to Hong Kong in order to meet with Guardian journalists Glenn Greenwald and Ewen MacAskill, handing over tens of thousands of documents (Gidda, M. 2013). In the United States the leaking of top-secret documents carries with it very serious consequences, as Snowden would have surely known before undertaking this bold plan of action. Living in Hawaii with his girlfriend, with a highly successful career and family still living in the US, he stood to lose every aspect of the life he had built. How many among us could say, truthfully, that we would give up everything we have in order to do what is right and pursue a moral obligation? Sadly, I believe that only a scarce few could answer that question affirmatively. However, regardless of what we, as individuals, would actually do in such a situation, we need to consider the ethical implications that accompany such a quandary. Are there moral obligations to act when the law no longer reflects the morality of the society it governs? I believe there are and it would appear that this obligation is what compelled Snowden to undertake such a bold move and assume the role of whistleblower. While addressing Stanford University’s Cubberly Auditorium via web conference on May 15^th 2015, he is quoted as having said, “When legality and morality begin to separate, we all have a moral obligation to do something about that”(Xu, V. 2015). The Internet has become an integral part of our lives; a place where we express our most personal interests, conduct our most intimate conversations and develop both our thoughts and relationships. This is certainly something that we need to protect.

At first glance it would seem like Edward Snowden is the real hero in this story; a brave whistleblower taking monumental risks to bring privacy and freedom to the world. However, when we dig a little deeper we find that the reality is not quite so black and white. The scope of the documents Snowden released to Greenwald and MacAskill went far further than simply revealing malpractice in the NSA’s operations (Gjelten, T. 2013). Investigations into the effects of Snowden’s action have suggested that terrorist groups modified their communication methods in response to the leaks, allowing them conduct their operations in greater secrecy than ever before. What is more, Jack Devine, the former director of CIA operations, and ex-KGB General Olig Kalugin, have both independently stated that they believe Snowden to be a controlled Russian espionage asset (Kelley, M. B. 2014).

With so many conflicting opinions it is highly unlikely that our generation will ever know the truth behind this complex tale. That isn’t to say, however, that there is not a lesson to be learned here. As with all of our previous posts we must recognise that any issues involving ethics will never be as simple as black and white. These deeply convoluted topics are some of the most pressing issues facing us today and it is our responsibility to gather as much unbiased knowledge as possible and consider all sides before passing judgement.

Until next time,

Ned.

References:

Xu, V. (2015) Edward Snowden talks ethics of whistleblowing. [online] The Stanford Daily. Available at: http://www.stanforddaily.com/2015/05/18/edward-snowden-talks-ethics-of-whistleblowing/
[Accessed 18 Mar. 2016].

Gidda, M. (2013) Edward Snowden and the NSA files – timeline. [online] The Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/23/edward-snowden-nsa-files-timeline
[Accessed 18 Mar. 2016].

 

Gjelten, T. (2013) The Effects of The Snowden Leaks Aren’t What He Intended. [online] NPR: National Public Radio. Available at: http://www.npr.org/2013/09/20/224423159/the-effects-of-the-snowden-leaks-arent-what-he-intended
[Accessed 18 Mar. 2016].

Kelley, M. B. (2014) Two Top Cold War Spies Made The  Same Troubling Prediction About Edward Snowden. [online] Business Insider. Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/ex-spies-say-snowden-is-working-with-russia-2014-5?IR=T
[Accessed 18 Mar. 2016]