Live data from Hacker News

Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

m.washingtonpost.com

171–180 of 213 posts

Re: Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

#171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Snowden inadvertently demonstrated the only effective way to get media to publish leaks: Send them to multiple outlets in different countries. Doing so provides publishers with both impetus and cover.

I bet it wasn't inadvertent at all. I'm sure he saw it the same way you do.

I think the GP meant that the demonstration was inadvertent. As in, Snowden intended to use the strategy himself, but he didn't intend to teach the strategy through his actions.

Re: Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

#172

Amazing that for so many decades under so many leaders, the American intelligence services have relied on the oath of allegiance to the Constitution to preserve secrecy. The Brits do it right by making people sign the Official Secrets Act which both binds the agent to keep secrets and educates them in full detail what that means.

Kind of like the Non-disclosure agreement everyone with a security clearance has to sign.

http://www.archives.gov/isoo/security-forms/sf312.pdf

Re: Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

#173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, a corporation will do anything to increase its profits - or more accurately, dominance of its market. Anyone that can pay will get. With an added bonus of obscurity. As an aside, when you think of corporations try not to think about the imagery they bathe you in. Think of a serial killer sidling up next to you all smiles and compliments. That would be more accurate.

I'm assuming that you work for a corporation. That corporation is made up of you, and a heap of other folks quite similar to you. It's true that lots of corporations do unethical things, but you also should keep in mind that at its heart, it's people like you and I that are doing it. They respond to incentives like the rest of us, they (mostly) have a conscience, and generally try to do the right thing. They're not a…

No, I do not. I did work for several in the past and only one of those would I say operated "with conscience". They were overcome - overwhelmed by more "sinister" competition (of some reknown, wildly successful still). You need to see their operations as algorithms, and put numbers to actions. Ethical behavior often has a cost - and the counter unethical behavior can yield great gains - exposure may have a risk of a cost, but that may be mitigated with proxy agents, or marketing and relationship management. Someone has this all worked out, monte carloed through the gamut, including things that you might consider to be greatly evil.

Re: Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

#174
post #61
post #5

> “If I defected at all,” Snowden said, “I defected from the government to the public.” He can't run til 2020, but I'll cast an early vote now.

They'll probably make him a felon, won't they? (Can you vote for felons in the US?)

A convicted spy (he's charged with espionage) can't get elected: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_Un...

Re: Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

#175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And people don't understand what makes Christianity appealing.

Maybe it's just me, but I need you to tie this together for me.

That was Jesus' big shtick. He defected from the "governments" to the "people". Broadening the possibility of salvation from the Jews to the Gentiles, transitioning the focus of spirituality from the Roman material world to the heavenly next. By simply sharing information.

It's no different from what Snowden has done. You want to know why the US wants to crucify him? That's why.

He's a messiah. Just like Obama was 5 years ago.

Re: Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

#176
His mission is done, our mission isn't. He gave us the information we need to start banging on doors and saying to our elected representatives, 'is this right? Is this reasonable?'.

Some won't listen, some will, some won't rock the boat, some will. But unless you push you'll never know.

Re: Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

#177
post #87

But what has really changed? The NSA is under pressure from the public, less so from the intelligence and defense communities. If anything Snowden has caused those areas of government to close ranks even tighter. There's nothing a leader wants more than a highly visible enemy to unite his or her people. There are orders of magnitude more people who hate General Alexander now than there were two years ago. But his own…

Well IMO it's kind of silly to care about the government snooping through my data when huge corporations are the ones who actually own the fiber and can siphon all the traffic they want -- then sell it. You're basically choosing between the US government or a combination of Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and Deutsche Telekom.

Well, when Google/Verizon/etc has the authority to imprison me ill be more worried. In the meantime, this is an issue that can be addressed with data protection laws.

Re: Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

#178
post #124
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The whole argument about Russia being way worse than the US, and Snowden staying there is ridiculous. He isn't staying there as some sort of celebrity endorsement for the tourism program. He's staying there because it is the only place he was able to reach in time, as Russia is one of the few countries too big to be invaded by the US military.

He's there because he's a coward with no backbone. If he is so sure of his innocence, he'd be facing the court instead of propping up a government with terrible human rights record.

Do you really believe the court system works to determine innocence? Do you believe he would be guaranteed a fair trial? Do you think Manning got a fair trial?

Do you believe that by taking refuge in Russia he's "propping up" their government? How?

Do you believe that giving up a 6-figure salary and life to expose violations of the US constitution is an act of a coward?

Are these opinions harbored by real people, or is this a troll?

Re: Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

#179
post #87

But what has really changed? The NSA is under pressure from the public, less so from the intelligence and defense communities. If anything Snowden has caused those areas of government to close ranks even tighter. There's nothing a leader wants more than a highly visible enemy to unite his or her people. There are orders of magnitude more people who hate General Alexander now than there were two years ago. But his own…

> "But what has really changed?" The major change that I am seeing is that cases previously dismissed due to "national security" or other factors due to classification are now being heard in public courts. This allows the judicial system to perform its job properly and for Americans to bring their grievances formally to effect change. This is a big move forward, and will catalyze a great deal of change as court rulin…

And it's when change doesn't happen with court rulings, or are hidden further, and then found out to be still true - then when does shit hit the fan? I could see this cycle occurring many times.

Re: Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished

#180
post #126
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You cannot seriously believe that an NSA contractor would be morally colourblind. He was expecting those shades of grey but instead found an agency more focused on spying it's citizens than Stasi.

>more focused on spying it's citizens than Stasi How in the world is it possible to post something as ridiculous as this? Is this what you kids truly believe? Snowden might be colour blind, but you sure are tone deaf.

Well, the NSA collected more data on US citizens than the Stasi ever collected on Germans.
Post reply on HN