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Title: Edward Snowden talks ethics of whistleblowing
Source:
The Stanford Daily
URL Source: http://www.stanforddaily.com/2015/0 ... alks-ethics-of-whistleblowing/
Published: May 18, 2015
Author: Victor Xu
Post Date: 2015-05-22 10:28:57 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 2028
Comments: 17
Edward Snowden, former NSA infrastructure analyst turned whistleblower, spoke on May 15 to Cubberley Auditorium to discuss the philosophical tensions of whistleblowing and government surveillance. The 2015 Symbolic Systems Distinguished Speaker, Snowden spoke via video conference from Moscow. Professors of philosophy John Perry and Kenneth Taylor moderated the discussion, part of which also served as a recording of “Philosophy Talk,” a nationally-syndicated radio program which grapples with problems in philosophy and how philosophy relates to our everyday lives. After brief introductions by Perry and Taylor, Snowden addressed the dilemmas in whistleblowing and his thoughts on his situation. Taylor asked whether he sees himself as a hero or a traitor, considering the various depictions presented by the government and media. “This is a really common question that’s asked a lot,” he said. “I think it’s got one of the least interesting answers. I don’t think about myself or how I will be perceived. It’s not about me. It’s about us. I’m not a hero. I’m not a traitor. I’m an ordinary American like anyone else in the room. I’m just trying to do the best that I can.” Snowden, who currently resides in Russia under asylum, proceeded to discuss the cost-benefit analysis that whistleblowers must consider before leaking information. “I certainly paid for it,” he said. “I lived in Hawaii, had a wonderful girlfriend, a home, a happy family, a successful career. To walk away from that it does require a real commitment to something…I think the driving principle is that you have to have a greater commitment to justice than a fear of the law.” Perry and Taylor asked whether Snowden was reluctant to “break the law.” Discussing his personal motivations for leaking the NSA documents, Snowden said he was motivated more by “self-interest” than altruism, as he felt that he would improve societal wellbeing by revealing and ultimately dismantling the NSA’s metadata collection programs. He added that he feels there are moral obligations to act when the law no longer reflects the morality of the society it governs. “When legality and morality begin to separate, we all have a moral obligation to do something about that,” he said. “When I saw that the work I was doing and all my colleagues were doing [was] being subversive not only to our intentions but contrary to the public’s intent, I felt an obligation to act.” Snowden spoke at length about the institutional failures in the U.S. government that allowed for the NSA activities in question to occur. “The courts were frozen out, the majority of Congress was frozen out, the populace was frozen out,” he said. He added that he attempted to reintroduce this system of checks and balances—which failed in the case of the NSA—in his own methodology for releasing the documents. By involving conflicting parties in the press and the government, Snowden said he hoped to serve the public interest: bringing attention to privacy issues while also mitigating security risks. “I never published a single document on my own because I believe that the model, the ideal of American government is actually quite a shrewd one,” he said. “I tried to emulate the model of checks and balance. Instead of making a unilateral decision, that ‘The world must know,’ I worked with the free press, institutions that we trust, American journalists.” At various points, Snowden expressed concern that the world as a whole is moving toward increased government surveillance at the expense of privacy, citing recent measures in France among other nations. He cautioned against acceptance of this trend and frequent justifications used by governments, such as heightened security. Citing the NSA leaks, he said that there was no clear benefit, while the privacy costs were great. Snowden also addressed several issues related to the Internet, including expectations of privacy on the web, Chelsea Manning’s role in leaking confidential government documents to WikiLeaks and new liberation technologies. “The Internet goes into our homes and also into the confines of our mind. That’s where we confide in friends, that’s where we express ourselves, that’s where we develop our thoughts. It’s where we decide what we believe in and who we want to be.” On the role of WikiLeaks, he said, “Much like with whistleblowing, if all other parts of the system fails, there’s a fallback [in WikiLeaks]. There’s an ultimate choice that can provide real, unvarnished truth in the most extreme circumstances.” Snowden recommended two major policy changes: ending mass surveillance and better protecting whistleblowers. On the first point, he cited the “infective” nature of surveillance projects and the ineffectuality of the NSA’s data collection in producing any concrete security outcome. On the second point, he argued for creating independent agencies staffed by civil liberties advocates to handle cases like his. “If I had taken these documents to Congress, I would’ve gone to jail,” Snowden said, alluding to the massive costs facing whistleblowers. After the first hour, the “Philosophy Talk” segment concluded. Snowden stayed for another half hour to answer questions from the audience, with topics ranging from his personal life in Moscow to the working environment within the NSA. Snowden ended the discussion with a hope that he might one day return to the United States, although he said he was not exactly optimistic at the chances. “If there’s any question, if the opportunity was presented, I would of course come home,” he said. “Because that’s where I live, that’s where my family is.” The full recording of “Philosophy Talk” will be available the week of July 3 on radio stations nationwide.
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#1. To: Deckard (#0)
Snowden knows about ethics....he has moral principles?
It's pretty clear that he does. But many people don't share them.
Most Americans value privacy and oppose mass surveillance. The minority who don’t – and who think spying is okay because they have “nothing to hide” – are grossly misinformed (and don’t know that spying is meant to crush dissent and consolidate power … not stop terrorism). Edward Snowden noted today in a Q&A on Reddit: Some might say “I don’t care if they violate my privacy; I’ve got nothing to hide.” Help them understand that they are misunderstanding the fundamental nature of human rights. Nobody needs to justify why they “need” a right: the burden of justification falls on the one seeking to infringe upon the right. But even if they did, you can’t give away the rights of others because they’re not useful to you. More simply, the majority cannot vote away the natural rights of the minority. But even if they could, help them think for a moment about what they’re saying. Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say Amen. I cherish my privacy and I love my safety. Walking the fine line between the two for a trade-off is touchy.
A much wiser man than you once said: Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase
OMG, where did you dig that one up from? That BF quote has long been denounced as one of America’s favorite “liberal” phrases. It has been sent through the political spin machine and polished by liberals so often that it has turned into a Frankenstein of sorts. So much so, that it is rendered inaccurate and far from its original intention. You are one of the few to get the quote worded correctly….there are many variations floating around. That quote was the clarion call siren song of the hippie anti-war protesters and now it has become the mass online banner protest for those who are against the NSA’s surveillance program and join in the fight against internet and phone monitoring. Few people have any idea where the words come from or what BF was really saying when he wrote them. You are obviously one of those. The quote came from a letter BF wrote on behalf of the Penn Assembly to the colonial governor. It was over funding for security on the frontier and one in which the assembly desired to tax the lands of the Penn family. The letter was never about liberty, it was all about taxes and the ability to raise money for defense against French and Indian attacks. If you will look up the original letter, you will find the text that surrounds the quote shows it’s clearly about money. Actually, there wasn’t much about liberty in his entire letter. And now I have made you a smarter person than you were when you posted the quote to me. And old Ben (as we intellects like to refer to him as), may have been a little smarter than I. But if he were, it was only by a little….a very little bit.
the clarion call siren song of the hippie anti-war protesters You're very much a moron, and a lousy hippie troll. Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety ~ Benjamin Franklin Your unsupported opinions were redacted, leaving the point of Franklin's quote apropo. Amusing fluff by LF's biggest ego. -- Thanks for the laugh.
The truth is that I was never a hippy. I had too much class to associate with the low life, unwashed, lice-infested hippy freaks who took to the streets in their drug-induced daze. So, I don’t know anything about the degenerates….tell me, how was life among them.
Franklin was a liberal? Who knew? ...now it has become the mass online banner protest for those who are against the NSA’s surveillance program and join in the fight against internet and phone monitoring. It's telling that you show such disdain for those who value privacy, especially since you made the dubious claim that you value it so much yourself. And now I have made you a smarter person than you were when you posted the quote to me. And old Ben (as we intellects like to refer to him as), may have been a little smarter than I. But if he were, it was only by a little….a very little bit. Get over yourself you arrogant, condescending prick.
Most hippies I knew had more class than you will ever have.
Franklin was a liberal? Who knew? Nope, liberals started using his phrase. Many knew. You didn't. Now you do.
Oh, so the concept is a liberal one? Here's a suggestion - quit while you're behind.
Nope! Here's a suggestion - learn to read since you are always behind.
These are the words he used: Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. What difference does the particular context make? Here's the paragraph, people can decide for themselves Here's the full letter: Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor Have you gone through your life making assumptions like that? "We intellects"? You and a bunch of cohorts that want wars on plants? That have not only stood by but cheered while the US has been looted by a gang of criminal psycopaths that bomb and invade their way around the world? You and your other "intellects" that have watched liberties given to you by truly great men like Franklin be stolen in the middle of the night by some of the most despicable and dishonourable human trash to ever walk the planet? Yeah you're brilliant. Also quite amusing, at least for however long one can stand to actually read what you scribble. I'll leave you with another Franklin quote, which I'm sure you'll appreciate just as much as the previous: After the signing of the Constitution, a lady asked Dr. Franklin: You and your fellow "intellects" didn't make Franklin proud, did you.
“Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
Edward Snowden talks ethics...
#2. To: Gatlin (#1)
Snowden knows about ethics....he has moral principles?
#3. To: Gatlin (#1)
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#4. To: Deckard (#3)
#5. To: Gatlin (#4)
(Edited)
a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. 
#6. To: Operation 40 (#5)
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase
a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety ~ Benjamin Franklin
#7. To: hippie anti-war protester Gatlin (#6)
(Edited)
old Ben (as we intellects like to refer to him as), may have been a little smarter than I. But if he were, it was only by a little….a very little bit.
The D&R terrorists hate us because we're free, to vote second party
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul
#8. To: Gatlin (#6)
OMG, where did you dig that one up? ---------- You are one of the few to get the quote worded correctly… ---- Few people have any idea where the words come from or what BF was really saying when he wrote them. ---- The quote came from a letter BF wrote on behalf of the Penn Assembly to the colonial governor. It was over funding for security on the frontier and ----- it was all about taxes and the ability to raise money for defense against French and Indian attacks.
And now I have made you a smarter person than you were when you posted the quote to me. And old Ben (as we intellects like to refer to him as), may have been a little smarter than I. But if he were, it was only by a little….a very little bit. ---- Gatlin
#9. To: hondo68 (#7)
#10. To: Gatlin, Operation 40 (#6)
That BF quote has long been denounced as one of America’s favorite “liberal” phrases.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#11. To: Gatlin, hondo68 (#9)
I had too much class
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#12. To: Deckard (#10)
That BF quote has long been denounced as one of America’s favorite “liberal” phrases.
#13. To: Gatlin (#12)
Nope, liberals started using his phrase.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#14. To: Deckard (#13)
#15. To: Gatlin (#6)
(Edited)
That BF quote has long been denounced as one of America’s favorite “liberal” phrases. It has been sent through the political spin machine and polished by liberals so often that it has turned into a Frankenstein of sorts. So much so, that it is rendered inaccurate and far from its original intention.
In fine, we have the most sensible Concern for the poor distressed Inhabitants of the Frontiers. We have taken every Step in our Power, consistent with the just Rights of the Freemen of Pennsylvania, for their Relief, and we have Reason to believe, that in the Midst of their Distresses they themselves do not wish us to go farther. Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Such as were inclined to defend themselves, but unable to purchase Arms and Ammunition, have, as we are informed, been supplied with both, as far as Arms could be procured, out of Monies given by the last Assembly for the King’s Use; and the large Supply of Money offered by this Bill, might enable the Governor to do every Thing else that should be judged necessary for their farther Security, if he shall think fit to accept it...
http://franklinpapers.org/franklin/framedVolumes.jsp?vol=6&page=238a Few people have any idea where the words come from or what BF was really saying when he wrote them. You are obviously one of those.
And old Ben (as we intellects like to refer to him as), may have been a little smarter than I. But if he were, it was only by a little….a very little bit.
"Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy?"
"A republic, if you can keep it" replied Benjamin Franklin
#16. To: Operation 40 (#15)
#17. To: Operation 40 (#15)
"We intellects"? You and a bunch of cohorts that want wars on plants? That have not only stood by but cheered while the US has been looted by a gang of criminal psycopaths that bomb and invade their way around the world? You and your other "intellects" that have watched liberties given to you by truly great men like Franklin be stolen in the middle of the night by some of the most despicable and dishonourable human trash to ever walk the planet?
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
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