ФАКУЛЬТЕТ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИХ И СОЦИАЛЬНЫХ НАУК

СЕКЦИЯ «POLITICAL ANS SOCIAL SCIENCES IN ENGLISH»

A SHARP EDGE BETWEEN PRIVATE AND NATIONAL SECURITY

Е. С. Чеглукова, студ.2 курса

Научный руководитель – преподаватель Л. Н. Юсупова

The aim of my report is to analyze the issue of a sharp edge between privacy and national security. To accomplish the aim I would like to examine the matter of the Guardian leaking top-secret information and about Edward Snowden in particular.

I’m going to divide my report into five parts. First of all, I’ll present some introductory information about the subject of the report, then I’ll give the thesis and show contrary points of view on the issue and eventually, I’ll present my own opinion about the subject of my report.

Several months ago there was a growing concern about Edward Snowden, a former NSA (National security agency) employee, who was considered a whistleblower and a traitor of the nation for divulging a top-secret documents leading to revelations about the US surveillance on phone and Internet communications. In fact, the problem of surveillance even now remains a topical issue all over the world due to the increasing number of revelations. Besides, the secret information was published in “The Guardian” in the summer of 2013, a British national daily newspaper, which took the risk of revealing the data.

By the way, several weeks ago “The Guardian” and “The Washington Post” received the Pulitzer Prize in one of the most prestigious nomination of public service. It is reckoned, that they helped to divulge controversial documents and generate sharp worldwide debates about the relations between the government and the society and whether privacy and private life really exist.

Obviously, such revelations divided people into supporters of Snowden, being in hearty agreement with Snowden and showing gratitude for revealing the secret information, and opponents, considering Snowden as a traitor and claiming that Snowden should be punished and imprisoned.

As the issue of Snowden is still increasing its circulation, I intend to express my own opinion on the problem posed. As far as I am able to judge, the issue raised in the report is such a burning and disputable debate that is not easy to assess. Frankly speaking, I tend to support Edward Snowden. To put

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it another way, Edward Snowden has done a great service for the whole world and that’s why now it’s our turn to help him and give a refuge.

The US officials still pay great attention to the fact that Edward Snowden has actually broken the law, and he should be punished for that. Moreover, they consider Snowden as a traitor because while breaching the law he betrayed his country and revealed information in the most unfavorable for the USA way.

What's more, most people don't seem to worry that government agencies are collecting their personal data. The article “Edward Snowden: public indifference is the real enemy in the NSA affair” printed in “The Guardian” on the 20th of October informed us that public opinion polls gave the statistics about 43% of the interrogated considerable the surveillance as favorable and desired for the sake of the country.

Furthermore, some US politicians, for instance, Harry Reid and John Boehner, called Snowden a traitor and cast an innuendo that Snowden might have shared the information with the US enemies. This suggestion was published in the article “Edward Snowden is no traitor” in “The Washington post” from 22nd of October.

In addition, opponents claim that Snowden is ruining the relations between Germany and the USA, and the article as “Germany Open to Speaking to Snowden” in “The Wall Street Journal” from the 1st of November informs us about a growing concern about possibility of straining relations between Germany and US due to tapping the cell-phone of German Chancellor.

However, supporters of Snowden don’t find these arguments very convincing and persuasive and try to rebut that. Several German public figures support Snowden, and there is a list of some of them in the article “Germany should offer Edward Snowden asylum after NSA revelations” posted by “The Guardian” on the 3rd of November. The article was devoted to famous figures of Germany who approved the idea of giving Snowden the refuge.

In defense of Snowden they claim that he was very chary with the information and he couldn’t know all of its ramifications. In the article “Edward Snowden is no traitor” published in “The Washington Post” on the 22nd of October it is proved that Snowden was very careful with the information doled out to responsible organisation and according to his money order he rebuffed any offers for his top-secret material and any interviews. Further, he has not tossed it up in the air in compliance with Wiki Leaks style just because “Information wants to be free”. As well, this article provides us with an opinion that, in reality, Snowden hasn’t betrayed anyone and he now owes allegiance only to himself, and is sold out to no one.

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