Reflecting on Snowden's Whistleblow in 2023: Perspectives on Privacy and Security

 I perceive the Edward Snowden incident more as a litmus test of sorts.

Do you recall the years 2004, 2005, and 2006, when people, myself included, were incensed by platforms like Facebook requesting personal email addresses, real names, and phone numbers? We held the belief that such requests were an invasion of our privacy, deeming them unacceptable given the online realm's perceived detachment from reality. A span of 5-6 years elapsed, and now, surrendering personal information to websites or applications has become commonplace. The proliferation of smartphones played a substantial role in this shift, and in 2013, Edward Snowden's whistleblowing occurred.

Fast forward to 2023, and the act of divulging personal information is not only widely accepted but often mandatory. Consider platforms like Twitter—users willingly share their bank account details without hesitation, relying on the premise that prominent corporations, and even smaller entities, will safeguard their privacy. Our concern for this matter has considerably waned.

Nevertheless, when Edward undertook his actions, it seems plausible that the NSA anticipated such a revelation sooner or later. Operating with this in mind, they navigated the landscape, recognizing that silencing the vast number of IT personnel within the NSA was unfeasible, given the democratic context of the West, unlike the conditions in North Korea. Although silencing a handful might have been feasible, the reality was that, in 2013, nearly 35,000 individuals were employed there. While I cannot ascertain whether they placed bets on the potential whistleblower, it's likely they anticipated a degree of public outrage that would ultimately subside, allowing the matter to normalize as a safety measure.
I don't oppose the advancement of human interaction and communication that has brought us to our current state. However, what seems lacking is a counterbalance to the erosion of privacy that has accompanied this progress.

This prompts me to contemplate the extent to which we will compromise our privacy next.