1/18/24 Glenn Greenwald on the Legacy of the Edward Snowden Leaks
Jan 21, 2024
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Guest Glenn Greenwald, journalist and author who reported on the Edward Snowden leaks, discusses the legacy of the leaks and the fight for civil liberties. They delve into Greenwald's remarkable consistency, the Snowden leaks and what happened with the documents, and the situation facing Julian Assange.
The Snowden reporting permanently altered the perception of the US government and privacy, leading to consumer pressure on tech companies to protect user privacy and diplomatic changes to protect against surveillance.
Glenn Greenwald highlights the controversial actions taken by the US government to prevent Edward Snowden from leaving Russia and label him as a spy, emphasizing that there is no basis to believe that Snowden shared sensitive information with the Russian government.
Assange revolutionized journalism by facilitating the exposure of secret deceit and crimes, but his imprisonment and extradition threats reflect the danger to press freedom and the criminalization of investigative journalism.
Deep dives
Glenn Greenwald's Political Ideology
Glenn Greenwald discusses his political ideology and where he sees himself on the political spectrum. While he acknowledges that labels like 'leftist' or 'liberal' have been assigned to him in the past, he rejects the notion that he fits into a specific ideological category. He emphasizes his commitment to principles and his belief in the importance of defending civil liberties, free speech, and protection against government abuse. Greenwald explains that his views have remained consistent over the years, even as the political landscape has shifted. He highlights the dangers of partisanship and the merging of the left and liberal perspectives during the Trump era. Greenwald also addresses the accusations that Edward Snowden is a spy for China or Russia, clarifying that Snowden ended up in Russia due to the actions of the Obama administration, which prevented him from leaving. He rejects the notion that Snowden gave any sensitive information to the Russian government.
The Snowden Archive and Reporting
Glenn Greenwald discusses the Snowden archive and the reporting that was done based on the leaked documents. He highlights the extensive efforts made to ensure that all the relevant stories from the archive were published. Greenwald mentions that major media outlets initially had access to the archive but later stopped their reporting due to financial constraints and diminishing readership interest. He explains that The Intercept and its partner media outlets continued to invest resources in the reporting to ensure that all the important stories were covered. Greenwald also addresses the debunked claims that Snowden was a spy for China or Russia and provides insights into how the US government has targeted him and his colleagues, including legal threats and attacks on their credibility.
The Controversial Actions of the US Government
Glenn Greenwald highlights the controversial actions taken by the US government to prevent Edward Snowden from leaving Russia and label him as a spy. He recounts how the Obama administration coerced the Cuban government to withdraw its guarantee of safe passage for Snowden, leading to his eventual entrapment in Russia. Greenwald dismisses the notion that Snowden willingly chose to be in Russia and argues that the US government's actions in stranding him there were reckless and counterproductive. He also criticizes the attempt to use Snowden's presence in Russia as evidence of his alleged collaboration with the Russian government, emphasizing that there is no basis to believe that Snowden shared sensitive information with them.
Impact of Snowden reporting on government perception and privacy
The Snowden reporting permanently altered the perception of the US government and privacy. It revealed how the internet has been weaponized for surveillance and thought control. This led to consumer pressure on tech companies to protect user privacy, resulting in the implementation of end-to-end encryption. The reporting also prompted diplomatic changes and measures by governments to protect against surveillance. These changes in human behavior and perception have put meaningful impediments in the path of governments, raising awareness about internet surveillance.
Importance and impact of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks
Julian Assange and WikiLeaks revolutionized journalism by recognizing the vulnerability of digital secrets held by powerful institutions. By enabling anonymous submission of information, Assange facilitated the exposure of secret deceit and crimes committed by institutions. WikiLeaks, along with major media outlets, collaborated to responsibly report on classified documents, redacting sensitive information and partnering with journalists globally. Assange's imprisonment and extradition threats reflect the danger to press freedom and the criminalization of investigative journalism. Despite being recognized as a consequential journalist, the Biden administration's pursuit of Assange sets a dangerous precedent.
Glenn Greenwald joins Scott to discuss the Edward Snowden leaks and the broader fight to protect civil liberties. They start with a discussion of Greenwald’s remarkable consistency amid the dramatic evolution of America’s political dynamics. They then talk about the Snowden leaks, and Greenwald fills in some details about what happened with the documents after the initial bombshell stories had been published. At the end, the talk about the situation facing Julian Assange.
Glenn Greenwald is an American journalist, author, and former lawyer. He hosts the show System Update every weeknight on Rumble. Follow him on Twitter @ggreenwald