Laura Poitras and Edward Snowden (Image Credit: The Nation Institute)National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden and one of the journalists who helped catapult his message into the mainstream press, Laura Poitras, were named recipients of The Nation Institute's 2014 Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling on Monday.

"It is a privilege to be welcomed into the ranks of the Ridenhour awardees, people who have inspired us through their fearless commitment to truth-telling. I'm especially grateful to be honored alongside Laura Poitras, whose brilliant work over the last year has changed what the public thinks about living under surveillance." Edward Snowden

We have selected Edward Snowden and Laura Poitras for their work in exposing the NSA's illegal and unconstitutional bulk collection of the communications of millions of people living in the United States," said the Ridenhour awards committee. "Their act of courage was undertaken at great personal risk and has sparked a critical and transformative debate about mass surveillance in a country where privacy is considered a constitutional right. We particularly wanted to salute the role that Poitras has played in this story, as we feel that her contribution has not been adequately recognized by the American media."

The award, named after Vietnam veteran Ron Ridenhourwho exposed the massacre at My Lai in a letter to Congressis given to "a citizen, corporate or government whistleblower, investigative journalist, or organization for bringing a specific issue of social importance to the public's attention."

The committee also recognized the work of Glenn Greenwald, Barton Gellman, Ewen MacAskill, who have all worked on the ongoing story and have continued to release articles regarding the mass surveillance programs conducted by the U.S. agency.

Upon hearing that he had been given the award, Snowden stated:

Authority cannot be legitimate if it is not accountable. Public awareness of the NSA's unconstitutional activities is leading to the first significant intelligence reforms in nearly four decades. These revelations remind us that there are moments in history when a free press is our last line of defense against unlawful government activities carried out in secret and in our name.

It is a privilege to be welcomed into the ranks of the Ridenhour awardees, people who have inspired us through their fearless commitment to truth-telling. I'm especially grateful to be honored alongside Laura Poitras, whose brilliant work over the last year has changed what the public thinks about living under surveillance.

"People are defined by their actions. Ron Ridenhour learned of the massacre in My Lai and revealed it. Edward Snowden saw a system of mass suspicionless surveillance and exposed it. Without their courage we would know of neither." Laura Poitras

Poitras was the first to "establish encrypted contact with Snowden," the institute explains, and created lines of communication between Snowden and other journalists.

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Snowden, Poitras to Receive 'Truth-Telling' Honor

Left Unity National Conference 2014 (19) Edward Snowden

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Left Unity National Conference 2014 (19) Edward Snowden - Video

Accused US government whistleblower Edward Snowden is introduced to supporters of Amnesty International, via teleconference during the Amnesty International Human Rights Conference 2014 in Chicago. Photo by Reuters

A sympathetic crowd of nearly 1,000 packed a downtown Chicago hotel ballroom at Amnesty International USA's annual human rights meeting and gave Greenwald, who dialed in from Brazil, a raucous welcome before Snowden was patched in 15 minutes later to a standing ovation.

The pair cautioned that government monitoring of "metadata" is more intrusive than directly listening to phone calls or reading emails and stressed the importance of a free press willing to scrutinize government activity.

Metadata includes which telephone number calls which other numbers, when the calls were made and how long they lasted. Metadata does not include the content of the calls.

Amnesty International is campaigning to end mass surveillance by the U.S. government and calling for Congressional action to further rein in the collection of information about telephone calls and other communications.

Last year, Snowden, who had been working at a NSA facility as an employee of Booz Allen Hamilton, leaked a raft of secret documents that revealed a vast U.S. government system for monitoring phone and Internet data.

The leaks deeply embarrassed the Obama administration, which in January banned U.S. eavesdropping on the leaders of friendly countries and allies and began reining in the sweeping collection of Americans' phone data in a series of limited reforms triggered by Snowden's revelations.

Snowden faces arrest if he steps foot on U.S. soil.

President Barack Obama said last month he plans to ask Congress to end the bulk collection and storage of phone records by the NSA but allow the government to access metadata when needed.

Snowden and Greenwald said that such data is in fact more revealing than outright government spying on phone conversations and emails.

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Snowden warning on wider US Govt monitoring

CHICAGO - Edward Snowden and reporter Glenn Greenwald, who brought to light the whistleblower's leaks about mass US government surveillance last year, appeared together via video link from opposite ends of the earth on Saturday for what was believed to be the first time since Snowden sought asylum in Russia.

A sympathetic crowd of nearly 1,000 packed a downtown Chicago hotel ballroom at Amnesty International USA's annual human rights meeting and gave Greenwald, who dialed in from Brazil, a raucous welcome before Snowden was patched in 15 minutes later to a standing ovation.

The pair cautioned that government monitoring of "metadata" is more intrusive than directly listening to phone calls or reading emails and stressed the importance of a free press willing to scrutinize government activity.

Metadata includes which telephone number calls which other numbers, when the calls were made and how long they lasted. Metadata does not include the content of the calls.

Amnesty International is campaigning to end mass surveillance by the US government and calling for Congressional action to further rein in the collection of information about telephone calls and other communications.

Last year, Snowden, who had been working at a NSA facility as an employee of Booz Allen Hamilton, leaked a raft of secret documents that revealed a vast US government system for monitoring phone and Internet data.

The leaks deeply embarrassed the Obama administration, which in January banned US eavesdropping on the leaders of friendly countries and allies and began reining in the sweeping collection of Americans' phone data in a series of limited reforms triggered by Snowden's revelations.

Snowden faces arrest if he steps foot on US soil.

President Barack Obama said last month he plans to ask Congress to end the bulk collection and storage of phone records by the NSA but allow the government to access metadata when needed.

Snowden and Greenwald said that such data is in fact more revealing than outright government spying on phone conversations and emails. "Metadata is what allows an actual enumerated understanding, a precise record of all the private activities in all of our lives. It shows our associations, our political affiliations and our actual activities," said Snowden, dressed in a jacket with no tie in front of a black background.

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Snowden, Greenwald urge caution of wider govt monitoring

Supporters of Amnesty International cheer and shoot mobile phone videos as accused government whistleblower Edward Snowden is introduced via teleconference during the Amnesty International Human Rights Conference 2014 in Chicago.

A sympathetic crowd of nearly 1,000 packed a downtown Chicago hotel ballroom at Amnesty International USA's annual human rights meeting and gave Mr Greenwald, who dialed in from Brazil, a raucous welcome before Mr Snowden was patched in 15 minutes later to a standing ovation.

The pair cautioned that government monitoring of "metadata" is more intrusive than directly listening to phone calls or reading emails and stressed the importance of a free press willing to scrutinize government activity.

Metadata includes which telephone number calls which other numbers, when the calls were made and how long they lasted. Metadata does not include the content of the calls.

Amnesty International is campaigning to end mass surveillance by the U.S. government and calling for Congressional action to further rein in the collection of information about telephone calls and other communications.

Last year, Mr Snowden, who had been working at a National Security Agency (NSA) facility as an employee of Booz Allen Hamilton, leaked a raft of secret documents that revealed a vast U.S. government system for monitoring phone and Internet data.

The leaks deeply embarrassed the Obama administration, which in January banned U.S. eavesdropping on the leaders of friendly countries and allies and began reining in the sweeping collection of Americans' phone data in a series of limited reforms triggered by Mr Snowden's revelations.

Mr Snowden faces arrest if he steps foot on U.S. soil.

President Barack Obama said last month he plans to ask Congress to end the bulk collection and storage of phone records by the NSA but allow the government to access metadata when needed.

Mr Snowden and Mr Greenwald said that such data is in fact more revealing than outright government spying on phone conversations and emails.

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Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald urge caution of wider government monitoring at Amnesty event

American whistleblower Edward Snowden and independent journalist Glenn Greenwald have warned that US spying activities are more intrusive than eavesdropping on phone conversations and reading emails.

Snowden and Greenwald urged caution against more intrusive US spying activities as they spoke via teleconference at a downtown Chicago hotel ballroom at Amnesty International USAs annual human rights meeting on Saturday.

Metadata is what allows an actual enumerated understanding, a precise record of all the private activities in all of our lives. It shows our associations, our political affiliations and our actual activities, said Snowden, speaking from Russia where he was granted temporary asylum last year.

Greenwald, whose reporting of documents leaked by Snowden helped expose the scope and scale of US spying activities, also said, My hope and my belief is that as we do more of that reporting and as people see the scope of the abuse as opposed to just the scope of the surveillance they will start to care more.

Greenwald, who was speaking from Brazil, could face legal action if he returns to the US, with the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper suggesting journalists who helped bring to light US spying programs are Snowdens accomplices.

Documents leaked by Snowden have shown, among other things, how the US National Security Agency collects phone records of all American citizens and tracks the online communications of all people around the world.

His revelations also showed the US government eavesdropped on phone calls of at least 35 world leaders, spied on Russias leadership with the help of Sweden, spied on the 2010 G8 and G20 summits in Toronto as well as the 2009 G20 summit in London with the help of the host countries governments.

Snowden faces espionage charges in the US and even some former US officials (click here and here) have suggested that he should be hanged if convicted of treason.

In January, Greenwald said it is stunning and extremist if the Obama administration now views journalists as accomplices in what it regards as Snowdens crimes.

Amnesty International is campaigning to end mass spying by Washington and is calling on US Congress to take action to rein in the US governments spying programs.

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Snowden, Greenwald: US spying wider

JOPLIN, Mo. Edward Snowden isnt a traitor, said Ray McGovern, former CIA intelligence analyst, during a Friday talk in Webster Halls Corley Auditorium at Missouri Southern State University.

Nor is Snowden a hero, McGovern said, something that most people think is unachievable for themselves.

Hes a patriot, McGovern said. He took his oath seriously. He took the Constitution seriously.

The oath to which McGovern referred, he said was the same one he took when joining the CIA to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Snowden leaked to reporters details about the National Security Agencys bulk data-collection programs and surveillance. He has been granted temporary political asylum in Russia.

They want to shoot the messenger so bad, McGovern said of the Obama administration and others.

McGovern said Snowden had a cushy job with a government contractor, but he was troubled by the NSA data-collection programs, which he saw as a clear violation of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution. The amendment protects Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures without a search warrant established by probable cause of a crime.

McGovern said Snowden, armed with a copy of the Constitution, brought his concerns up with co-workers. They told him to forget about it.

Thats what makes Ed Snowden different, McGovern said. He wouldnt forget about it.

McGovern said Snowden was motivated to contact reporters by National Intelligence Director James Clappers statement to a congressional committee when asked if the NSA was collecting any type of data on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans.

Link:
Former CIA analyst praises Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden's revelations about the National Security Agency's (NSA) data collection practices have eroded the public's trust in major technology companies -- and in the Internet, a Harris Interactive survey found.

Harris polled over 2,000 U.S. adults for their opinions on surveillance, data gathering, Internet privacy and trust in a post-Snowden era.

About 85% of those polled were at least somewhat familiar with Snowden's leaks about government surveillance and some 80% wanted Congress to implement new laws for curbing the NSA.

Despite that, over half believed that mass surveillance helps prevent terrorism and an almost equal number felt that Internet companies should cooperate with the government's efforts in this regard.

Somewhat paradoxically though, two out of three survey respondents also felt betrayed because ISPs and other online companies are working secretly with the government to collect and monitor the communications of private citizens. About 60% are less trusting of ISPs and other technology companies than before the revelations.

The results reflect mixed emotions among Internet users said Stephen Cobb, a senior security researcher at security vendor Eset, which commissioned the Harris Interactive survey.

"People clearly are thinking more about the relationship between privacy and security. What the Snowden revelations have done is to surface the unresolved tension over this issue," he said. "People would like, on the one hand, to think the surveillance is necessary. But there is push back against unnecessary surveillance."

There is little doubt that Snowden's revelations about major Internet companies like Google, Microsoft and Yahoo secretly handing over customer data to intelligence agencies have shaken consumer confidence. "The feeling of betrayal is considerable and understandable," Cobb said.

One result is that people appear to be scaling back their Internet use. Nearly half of the respondents have become more cautious about what they say, where they go and what they do on the Internet. About 25% are less inclined to use email these days because of the same reason.

Though the survey sample is relatively modest, the results are significant, Cobb said.

Continued here:
Snowden leaks erode trust in Internet companies, government

On March 19, we posed a question that's fed conversation at dinner tables, Sunday morning talk shows, and more Capitol Hill cocktail parties than you can shake a stick at:

Is Edward Snowden, who made off with classified files and leaked them to reporters, a hero, a traitor, or something in between?

For anyone who might need a refresher, Snowden is the former National Security Agency contractor who made off with a vast trove of classified files, fed them to hungry journalists, turned up in Moscow, and now faces espionage charges by the U.S. government.

Snowden recently turned up -- via robot camera -- at a TED talk, which you can read about here.

Well, the votes are in. But the polls much like elections in Turkey, Iraq and Cambodia remain open to debate.

Be our guest. Vote here. If we get enough votes, we'll publish the results again.

To date, the voting was much more lopsided than any of us here at Snowden Central could have imagined. You be the judge:

He's a hero for revealing that the NSA collected phone data on millions of ordinary Americans. 55.08% (363 votes)

He's a traitor who stole classified files and fled to Moscow, and he should be prosecuted. 30.96% (204 votes)

He's somewhere in the middle. We don't know enough, yet, about who he gave the files. 13.96% (92 votes)

Excerpt from:
Edward Snowden poll results (hero, traitor, or someting else) are in!

The Snowden affair has made the industry wary of government interference. That is why I emphasise to the industry that they should treat child abuse images as a separate case from anything else, Mr Green said, after a speech at a conference organised by the NSPCC.

John Carr, chairman of the Childrens Charities Coalition on Internet Safety, told the conference that the fight against child pornography had been hugely complicated by the Snowden affair.

There was a great degree of suspicion of any scheme designed to root out online paedophiles, and some firms were fearful of appearing to be just another branch of the CIA or GCHQ, Mr Carr said.

More here:
Edward Snowden affair made tech firms 'wary' of tackling child pornography, says minister