Reflection Task 3

Edward Snowden, who is an American, is a computer specialist, a former CIA employee and a former NSA contractor, who revealed some top secret NSA documents. This release has been classified as the most significant leak of the US history. Snowden has fled from Hawaii to Hong Kong when he revealed US information. Now, he is in Russia where the government granted him a temporary asylum. Still he knew what he would be facing, and yet, in his own words, he wanted "to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them." Some call him a hero, a whistleblower, a traitor or even a patriot. Whatsoever, what he did has people brought to debate over mass surveillance, government secrecy, and the balance between national security and informal privacy. Since the US collected metadata on nearly every phone call within or to the United States. Edward Snowden is a subject of controversy, yet he got recognition in several ways, was awarded by the German "whistleblower prize" and "Sam Adams Award", and was voted as the man of the year 2013 by The Guardian. I have chosen him because, although he knew the consequences he was bold enough to leave a well-paid job and a relatively comfortable life behind and live an uncertain life. It was it all worth for him because, he believed that state surveillance had expanded beyond a point that is acceptable and that people needed to know about it. He sacrificed his life in order to fight the battle for us!