Edward Snowden
- Thread starter Andrew
- Start date
His actions as a whistleblower, sure. The way he did it? Absolutely not. Instead of running away like a coward and publicizing that he was releasing the documents, he could have anonymously sent them to a news organization (as we see with recent cases involving reporters from both Fox and CNN, reporters will not reveal their sources, and they can't be forced to).
To be honest, he has always seemed to me like he wanted his 15 minutes of fame, and then it backfired and he had to flee, so now he's playing the martyr card.
To be honest, he has always seemed to me like he wanted his 15 minutes of fame, and then it backfired and he had to flee, so now he's playing the martyr card.
Snowden did originally try to hand over documents to the media anonymously, but the means he wanted to do it in (code names, encrypted email) were too annoying for reporters to employ without knowing that Snowden was a reliable source. Snowden being an "anonymous source" makes the information seem not as serious as it really is. It wasn't about fame, but credibility.
Also, he left the country before the documents were published. It didn't backfire, he knew what was going on.
He could have walked into CNN, or used an anonymous email, to set up a meeting with reporters. They would then have known his credibility, but they would not release his identity, nor could they be compelled to.
If I'm not mistaken, he chose to release the documents to a UK newspaper first? I just don't see why a US news org. wouldn't have been more appropriate.
I'm sure he had his reasons, but I just don't agree with him publicizing himself. He did a tele-interview at the 2014 TED conference. All based on fame that he's basking in way too much if you ask me.
If I'm not mistaken, he chose to release the documents to a UK newspaper first? I just don't see why a US news org. wouldn't have been more appropriate.
I'm sure he had his reasons, but I just don't agree with him publicizing himself. He did a tele-interview at the 2014 TED conference. All based on fame that he's basking in way too much if you ask me.
"Snowden first made contact with Glenn Greenwald, a journalist working at The Guardian, in late 2012. He contacted Greenwald anonymously and said he had "sensitive documents" that he would like to share. Greenwald found the measures that the source asked him to take to secure their communications, such as encrypting email, too annoying to employ."
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Snowden
I'm not 100% sure about this, but considering the circumstances:
We're talking about the NSA, not the NFL. He can request the media to not release his info all he wants, but (as Snowden knew better than anyone else at the time), the NSA is grabbing bits of info without permission.
It's actually kind of hilarious to think about; the NSA collecting metadata of emails which disclosed the metadata storage in the first place.
We're talking about the NSA, not the NFL. He can request the media to not release his info all he wants, but (as Snowden knew better than anyone else at the time), the NSA is grabbing bits of info without permission.
It's actually kind of hilarious to think about; the NSA collecting metadata of emails which disclosed the metadata storage in the first place.
I mean, then it shouldn't have mastered because they'd know anyway? I just see no reason other than fame he is doing what he's doing.. I understand he believes he's doing the right thing, but he's milking it way too much
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I'm not saying he has no credibility, just that to me his motives are clouded by him milking the fame.
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I'm not saying he has no credibility, just that to me his motives are clouded by him milking the fame.
True, and I think there is a fame element here, but I don't necessarily care about his intent here. The side-effect of his name being out there is that we have an actual person to get behind. PRISM was revealed by a real guy, rather than some alias without a face. I think that helps with getting traction behind any kind of political movement.