Guardian, Washington Post Get Pulitzers for NSA Reporting

The Guardian US and Post are awarded Pulitzers for Public Service for their reporting on secret NSA spying, largely based on the leaks of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

The Washington Post and the Guardian US were on Monday awarded Pulitzer Prizes for their reporting on the nature and breadth of secret electronic surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency, largely based on the revelations of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

The Post and the Guardian US were each awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the Pulitzer Prize committee's highest honor. Newsday's reporting on misconduct by police officers in Long Island, N.Y. was also nominated for the Public Service prize.

In revealing "widespread secret surveillance by the National Security Agency," the Post's reporting was described as "marked by authoritative and insightful reports that helped the public understand how the disclosures fit into the larger framework of national security." The Guardian US, an online product of the U.K.-based Guardian newspaper, was singled out for "aggressive reporting" that helped to "spark a debate about the relationship between the government and the public over issues of security and privacy."

Snowden began leaking documents to Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald in late 2012 about the nature and scope of computer spying by the U.S. security agency. In June 2013, the first of those leaked documents were published and would be followed up by reports from The Guardian, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Der Spiegel, and many more newspapers and media outlets around the world.

Snowden's revelations have strained diplomatic relations between the United States and countries spied on digitally by the NSA. The U.S. government has attempted to assuage anger over the revelations, which have also sparked an internal debate in this country about how much government snooping at home and abroad is acceptable.

The Government Accountability Project (GAP), which has represented Snowden, said Monday that the Pulitzers won by the Post and Guardian US were a "direct result" of the NSA whistleblower's revelations.

"The Prize committee awards this Pulitzer to media outlets for their 'distinguished example of public service,' and this recognition therefore represents undeniable validation of the significance of the Snowden disclosures," said GAP executive director Bea Edwards.

"Americans are now aware of the dragnet electronic surveillance conducted by the NSA only because a whistleblower, Mr. Snowden, exposed it, and through The Washington Post and the Guardian US, sparked a national debate."

Included among the documents and reports were a number of confidence-shaking revelations for the tech industry. For example, it was reported last December that the NSA paid the computer security firm RSA $10 million to create a 'back door' entry point in its encryption software. RSA denied knowingly striking any such deal, but the damage was donenumerous regular attendees of the company's annual RSA Conference boycotted this year's event.

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Guardian, Washington Post Get Pulitzers for NSA Reporting