Snowden urges work on technology that will protect privacy

Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden himself is going to be 'involved in' working on the problem of embedding security into technology

HOPE X. Edward Snowden speaking via video link at the HOPE X conference. Screen shot from video feed.

MANILA, Philippines Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden called on developers over the weekend to build systems that protect personal privacy and security by design.

Speaking via videolink at the Hackers on Planet Earth Conference (HOPE X), Snowden once again asked the technology sector to increase privacy-protecting technology in tech products.

According to TechCrunch, Snowden discussed the importance of building new privacy-protecting protocols and technological infrastructures.

"It doesnt end at encryption; it starts at encryption," noted Snowden. "Encryption protects the content but we forget about associations. These programs like Section 215 [of the Patriot Act] and mass surveillance in general is not about surveilling you, its not about surveilling me. Its about surveilling us collectively. Its about watching the company, for everybody in the country and on a global scale.

"This is basically a big data program which provides the raw data that can then be analyzed, it can be filtered, it can be subjected to rules, for example. It says everything you do is being analyzed, its being weighted, its being measured and thats without regard to whether or not youve done anything wrong."

According to tech website Re/Code, Snowden also said, without elaborating, that he was going to be "involved in" working on the problem of embedding security into technology himself.

"We the people you the people, you in this room right now have both the means and the capability to help build a better future by encoding our rights into the programs and protocols upon which we rely every day," Snowden said.

"And thats what a lot of my future work is going to be involved in, and I hope youll join mein making that a reality," he added.

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Snowden urges work on technology that will protect privacy