Podcast Notes Key Takeaways

• A National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance program has been ruled unlawful, seven years after it was exposed by whistleblower Edward Snowden
  • “What they had ruled was that the NSA’s bulk collection of American’s phone records was illegal” – Edward Snowden
• “This is a huge victory for privacy rights” 
• Seven years after Snowden released that information, there are been 0 cases showing Snowden harmed or put national security at risk:
  • “The government has never shown a single example of any harm that has come as a result of the publication of these documents back in 2013” – Edward Snowden
• It’s relatively easy to install spyware, such as Pegasus, into someone’s phone and get access to their text messages, calls, passwords, camera, and microphone
  • “The number one target is the iPhone” – Edward Snowden
    • Why? The rich, political leaders, business CEOs, and other important figures tend to all have an iPhone
• Unfortunately, there’s no real punishment if the government breaks a law:
  • “There is no punishment…There is no criminal liability for all the bastards at the head of the FBI, the head of the NSA, who were violating American’s rights for decades.” – Edward Snowden
    • The heads of those organizations don’t go to prison or even lose their jobs. Some government officials even lied under oath and still weren’t held responsible for their actions.
      • “Because of that, it creates a culture of unaccountability”
• “I think you’re a hero and I think that what you’ve done, history will be kind to you…I think our government is on the wrong side of history” – Joe Rogan
• The US needs to end the war against whistleblowers that don’t actually reveal any government secrets, but rather simply share the faults of the government to the American people who they serve:
  • “There are times when the only thing you can do is tell the truth and that should not be a crime” – Edward Snowden

Read the full notes @ podcastnotes.org



Former CIA contractor turned whistleblower Edward Snowden shocked the world when he revealed the misdeeds of the US intelligence community and its allies. Now living in Russia, he is a noted privacy advocate and author who serves as president of the Freedom of the Press Foundation. His book, Permanent Record, is now available in paperback from Henry Holt and Company.