Edward Snowden Facts

Early Life

Edward Joseph Snowden was born on June 21, 1983, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. His family had a history of working in the federal government. His maternal grandfather, Edward J. Barrett, was a rear admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard and a senior official with the FBI. Snowden’s father was a warrant officer in the Coast Guard, and his mother worked as a clerk at the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Childhood and Family Background

Snowden’s family had a history of working in the federal government. His maternal grandfather was a rear admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard and a senior official with the FBI. Snowden’s father was a warrant officer in the Coast Guard, and his mother worked as a clerk at the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Education

Snowden did not complete high school due to mononucleosis, which caused him to miss school for almost nine months. Instead, he passed the GED test and took classes at Anne Arundel Community College. He later worked online towards a master’s degree at the University of Liverpool, England, in 2011.

Early Career in the Army

Snowden enlisted in the United States Army on May 7, 2004, and became a Special Forces candidate through its 18X enlistment option. However, he did not complete the training due to bilateral tibial stress fractures.

CIA Employment

In 2006, Snowden joined the CIA and was stationed in Geneva, Switzerland, 2007, where he was responsible for maintaining computer-network security. He left the CIA in 2009.

NSA Contractor

After leaving the CIA, Snowden began working for Dell, which manages computer systems for multiple government agencies. He was assigned to an NSA facility at Yokota Air Base near Tokyo, where he instructed top officials and military officers on how to defend their networks from Chinese hackers. In 2013, he quit his job at Dell and joined Booz Allen Hamilton, a consulting firm where he sought employment in order to gather data and then release details of the NSA’s worldwide surveillance activity.

Whistleblower Status

Snowden has described himself as a whistleblower. He said that he had told multiple employees and two supervisors about his concerns, but the NSA disputes his claim. Snowden’s potential status as a Whistleblower under the 1989 Act is not directly addressed in the criminal complaint against him in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Surveillance Disclosures

The exact size of Snowden’s disclosure is unknown, but it is estimated to be in the order of 1.7 million documents. His disclosures revealed numerous global surveillance programs, many run by the NSA and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance with the cooperation of telecommunication companies and European governments.

Impact on U.S. National Security

Army General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that the majority of the documents that Snowden had taken had nothing to do with exposing government oversight of domestic activities. The majority were related to military capabilities, operations, tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Controversy

Snowden has been a subject of controversy, with some praising his actions as an effort to inform the public about government surveillance, while others condemn him for leaking classified information.

Exile in Russia

After leaving the U.S. in May 2013, Snowden flew to Hong Kong and then to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport. Russia later granted Snowden the right of asylum with an initial visa for residence for one year, which was subsequently repeatedly extended. In October 2020, he was granted permanent residency in Russia.

Russian Citizenship

In September 2022, Snowden was granted Russian citizenship by President Vladimir Putin, and on December 2, 2022, he swore the oath of allegiance.

Personal Life

Snowden married Lindsay Mills in 2017. The couple has two sons, with the first one born in December 2020 and the second one born sometime before September 2022.

Work at Booz Allen Hamilton

Snowden worked at Booz Allen Hamilton for just two months before he left the U.S. During his time there, he was an infrastructure analyst, which meant that his job was to look for new ways to break into Internet and telephone traffic around the world.

Interest in Japanese Culture

Snowden had a keen interest in Japanese popular culture and had studied the Japanese language. He also worked for an anime company that had a resident office in the U.S.

President of the Freedom of the Press Foundation

In early 2016, Snowden became the president of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, a San Francisco–based nonprofit organization that aims to protect journalists from hacking and government surveillance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 16 facts about Edward Snowden paint a vivid picture of a complex and controversial figure. Snowden’s actions sparked a global conversation about privacy, government surveillance, and the balance between national security and individual liberties. His disclosures brought to light the extent of mass surveillance programs, igniting debates and reforms in various countries. While opinions on Snowden’s actions vary, there is no denying the profound impact he has had on shaping the discourse around privacy and security in the digital age. Edward Snowden’s story serves as a reminder of the power of individuals to challenge the status quo and provoke meaningful change.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What was Edward Snowden’s role at the NSA?

Edward Snowden was an infrastructure analyst at the NSA. His job was to look for new ways to break into Internet and telephone traffic around the world.

Why did Edward Snowden leave the U.S.?

Snowden left the U.S. in May 2013 after he revealed thousands of classified NSA documents to journalists. He flew to Hong Kong and then to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport.

What is Edward Snowden’s current status in Russia?

Edward Snowden was granted permanent residency in Russia in October 2020. In September 2022, he was granted Russian citizenship by President Vladimir Putin.

What did Edward Snowden disclose?

Snowden disclosed numerous global surveillance programs, many of which were run by the NSA and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance with the cooperation of telecommunication companies and European governments.

What is the public opinion on Edward Snowden’s actions?

Public opinion on Snowden’s actions is divided. Some praise his actions as an effort to inform the public about government surveillance, while others condemn him for leaking classified information.