Right to Privacy vs Collective Security

Snowden & Assange

Right To PrivacyUSLEGAL Inc. the right to privacy is defined as

“ the right to be let alone, in the absence of some "reasonable" public interest in a person's activities, like those of celebrities or participants in newsworthy events. Invasion of the right to privacy can be the basis for a lawsuit for damages against the person or entity violating the right. ”

Collective SecurityIn theory, collective security can be understood as:

• a security arrangement in which all states cooperate collectively to provide security for all by the actions of all against any states within the groups which might challenge the existing order by using force.

• This contrasts with self-help strategies of engaging in war for purely immediate national interest.

Edward Joseph Snowden❖ Worked with the National Security Agency (NSA): IT security in Central

Intelligence Agency (CIA) --> Became disillusioned with the undisclosed surveillance programmes that intruded the privacy of individuals

❖ Left the CIA in 2009 and continued working with NSA in various outside contractors such as Booz Allen with the intention of collecting more evidence to expose the surveillance programmes

❖ 6-7 June 2013: After receiving information from Snowden, The Guardian releases reports of the surveillance programme PRISM, which gives the NSA direct access to material such as emails, search histories and live chat. The Guardian also releases information about the collection of the telephone records millions of Verizon customers under a top secret court order. (Verizone is a major telecommunications company in the US) Snowden was in Hong Kong by then.

Edward Joseph Snowden❖ On 9 June, Snowden decided to go public, explaining his decision in an

interview:

“"I have no intention of hiding who I am because I know I have done nothing wrong."

❖ Now: After leaving Hong Kong and staying in a transit zone in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport for more than a month (a result of his travel documents being revoked by the US government), Snowden entered Russia in August 2013 after being granted asylum in Russia for one year.

Julian Assange

• Australian publisher and journalist

• Editor-in-chief and founder of Wikileaks

• Wikileaks: Publishes secret media, news leaks as well as classified media

• Currently seeking political asylum at the Ecuadorean embassy in London (since 2012)

• Cited the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as reason for his asylum application

• Police stationed outside to arrest him if he comes out.

Julian Assange - Crimes

Wanted for:

• Sexual allegations in Sweden

• Espionage charges in US

Advocates:a “transparent” and “scientific” approach to journalism

David Miranda• Partner of former Guardian journalist, Glenn Greenwald,

who has covered stories based on leaks by Edward Snowden

• Stopped in transit between Berlin and Rio de Janeiro. Detained at Heathrow for 9 hours under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

• Was carrying encrypted files, including an external hard drive containing 58,000 highly classified UK intelligence documents

Evaluation of US response + Implications

US Response for...

Edward Snowden➢ defended the previously

undisclosed surveillance programmes, without intentions of compromise

➢ filed espionage charges against Snowden, requested for detainment of Snowden for extradition from Hong Kong and Russia, and urged Russia and Ecuador not to grant Snowden asylum

➢ Aggressive in the chase after Snowden: Bolivia’s president Eva Morale’s plane was forced to land in Vienna after European countries refused to lend airspace, with the suspicion that Snowden was on board.

Julian Assange

• Has been granted political asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London (since Aug 2012) and has stayed there since as in the US he may face imprisonment or a death penalty for espionage.

• Washington has denied there is any "witch-hunt” against wikileaks as Assange says there is and stated that Assange was making "wild" claims to deflect attention from his alleged sexual misconduct in Sweden.

• He fears being extradited to the US should he face his Sweden charges. (US denies this)

In the future….

• Right to privacy will continue to be compromised

• Technology has advanced too much for any real privacy (except perhaps our thoughts… for now)

Questions to ponder over

1. Should individual privacy and collective privacy be weighed in importance differently?

2. Who has the authority to decide what knowledge is given to people? Why?

3. How can we better establish a consensus on how we can best create some form of balance between privacy and security?

Personal Opinions - Recommendations & Insights● Right to privacy → Collective security

○ Although the right to privacy is a fundamental right, nothing is really “private” today.

○ Conscience → Clear

• Governments need to tighten security measures to protect confidential information

• Establishment of consensus regarding privacy and security