Edward Snowden, born on this day in 1983, is an American whistleblower who leaked highly classified information from the NSA in 2013 when he was working as a CIA employee, exposing multiple governments' widespread surveillance programs.

Snowden's disclosures revealed numerous global surveillance programs, many run by the NSA and the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance with the cooperation of telecommunication companies and European governments, prompting a cultural discussion about national security and individual privacy.

In 2013, the United States Department of Justice unsealed charges against Snowden of two counts of violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and theft of government property, revoking his passport. Two days later, he flew into a Moscow Airport, where Russian authorities noted that his U.S. passport had been canceled, and he could not leave the airport terminal for over one month.

Russia later granted Snowden the right of asylum with an initial visa for residence for one year, and he continues to reside there on extension today.

"Being called a traitor by Dick Cheney is the highest honor you can give to an American."

  • Edward Snowden

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  • UmbraVivi [he/him, she/her]
    ·
    1 year ago

    lib best friend calls me after she broke up with her boyfriend because of his toxic masculinity

    within an hour i am monologuing about zizek-preference ideology and how it all ties back to a hierarchical world view and the worship of private property

    i realize that maybe i shouldn't do abstract political rants right now but to my surprise she whole-heartedly agrees and says that i summed her feelings up perfectly

    never punished for social ineptitude big-cool

    • corgiwithalaptop [any, love/loves]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Glad you werent shut down! I went on a rant about the reserve army of labor in therapy last week and had to cut myself off.

      Doctor smiled and said "I agree, capitalism sucks."