The Real Debate Snowden Sparked—And Why It’s Still Unresolved
Summary
The article offers a nuanced examination of Edward Snowden's disclosures, featuring insights from Chris Inglis. It addresses common misconceptions about metadata and emphasizes the need for ongoing scrutiny of surveillance powers in the future.
Key Insights
What is metadata, and why is it as revealing as communication content?
Metadata is data about data, such as phone numbers called, call duration, and timestamps, rather than the content of conversations. In aggregate, it can reveal sensitive details about a person's relationships, habits, and life patterns, often more invasively than content alone.
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What changes resulted from Snowden's disclosures regarding NSA metadata collection?
Snowden's leaks led to the USA FREEDOM Act in 2015, which ended the NSA's bulk collection of phone metadata, requiring phone companies to retain it and allowing NSA access only via FISA Court orders based on reasonable suspicion of terrorism links.
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