The Snowden Leaks: 10 years later

Privacy Files

It's hard to believe, but ten years have passed since former government contractor Edward Snowden shocked the world disclosing that the United States National Security Agency (NSA) was collecting data from the electronic communications of millions of American citizens--all without a warrant.

For the majority of the public, that's what people remember. But the classified documents Snowden leaked revealed much more than warrantless electronic surveillance.

In this episode of Privacy Files, we take a hard look at about a year's worth of leaks. Starting from June 6, 2013 (when it all started) and ending on May 31, 2014, we revisit some of the most earth-shattering revelations about how the United States intelligence apparatus operates.

Colin fills in for Sarah in the co-hosting chair. Colin is a member of Anonyome Labs' Security & Compliance team.

Looking back at the disclosures, both Rich and Colin were mesmerized at the extent of what the Snowden leaks cover.

Over the years, journalists have released thousands of documents that Snowden entrusted them with. Some believe this is still less than 1% of the entire archive. And they're probably close to being accurate cause according to national intelligence officials, Snowden downloaded up to 1.5 million files before fleeing Hawaii and heading to Hong Kong to meet with journalists Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras.

After revisiting key revelations, Rich and Colin discuss what this all means for the world today. How have the Snowden Leaks impacted society, government and technology? One thing is clear. Personal privacy is on people's minds more than ever. And as a result, the last ten years have seen an explosion in privacy products for public consumption.

In fact, the Snowden Leaks have impacted so much of global society that these impacts are often referred to as the "Snowden Effect."

Links Referenced:

https://www.cato.org/commentary/snowden-effect-six-years#

https://www.businessinsider.com/snowden-leaks-timeline-2016-9

https://www.propublica.org/article/claim-on-attacks-thwarted-by-nsa-spreads-despite-lack-of-evidence

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2013-12-12_rg_final_report.pdf

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2048/text/pl?overview=closed

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/04/us/politics/nsa-surveillance-2017-annual-report.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowden_effect

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2015/06/7-ways-the-world-has-changed-thanks-to-edward-snowden/

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