--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rahul Sagar, a professor at Princeton…" description: "\"“Rahul Sagar, a professor at Princeton, has defined these well in his new book Secrets and Leaks:73 First, a whistleblower must have clear and convinci..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edward-lucas-26092_books_rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has_2067589.jpg" --- # Rahul Sagar, a professor at Princeton, has defined these… ![“Rahul Sagar, a professor at Princeton, has defined these well in his new book Secrets and Leaks:73 First, a whistleblower must have clear and convincing evidence of abuse. Second, releasing the information must not pose a disproportionate threat to public safety. Third, the information leaked must…” quote by Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edward-lucas-26092_books_rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has_2067589.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edward-lucas-26092_books_rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has_2067589.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edward-lucas-26092_books_rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has_2067589.jpg) > ““Rahul Sagar, a professor at Princeton, has defined these well in his new book Secrets and Leaks:73 First, a whistleblower must have clear and convincing evidence of abuse. Second, releasing the information must not pose a disproportionate threat to public safety. Third, the information leaked must be as limited in scope and scale as possible. Snowden failed all three of these criteria. He has not shown systematic abuse, only secrecy and mistakes. He has harmed and weakened his country and its allies (indeed, for some Snowdenistas, this is a stated aim). He has stolen far more information than was necessary to make the case he purports to want to make. Why?”” [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Whistleblowing should meet strict evidence, safety, and scope standards; Snowden failed these, causing harm **In simple terms:** Only reveal information when it meets high standards to avoid damage Key Takeaway Apply rigorous standards before exposing secrets Themes ethics security accountability Mood critical cautious Type ethical political When to use this quote - Government oversight - journalism - national security - legal frameworks Key Concepts Whistleblowing standards public safety information control Questions to Reflect On - When should the public interest outweigh safety concerns? - How to balance transparency with security? A Different Perspective May suppress legitimate disclosures in dangerous regimes ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Public safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-safety/) [Whistleblower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whistleblower/) ## Related quotes > [“I freely admit that it is possible that Snowden conceived his plan on his own, and with honourable if mistaken motives. It may well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/i-freely-admit-that-it-is-possible-that-snowden-conceived-his-plan-on/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [One of the principal factors fueling the proliferation of the abuse of secrecy and sensitive but unclassifieds is the administration's adherence to the unitary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-gup/one-of-the-principal-factors-fueling-the-proliferation-of-the-abuse/) [Ted Gup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-gup/) > [Each book has a secret history of ways and means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/each-book-has-a-secret-history-of-ways-and-means/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [There are things I'll never talk about for sure. My life is an open book, but there's always a few secret pages in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mulroney/there-are-things-i-ll-never-talk-about-for-sure-my-life-is-an-open/) [Jessica Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mulroney/) > [“The book and I secret ourselves Behind the paneled door. We merge our thoughts in retrospect Of ancient mystic lore. We spend a pleasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-moore-schultz/the-book-and-i-secret-ourselves-behind-the-paneled-door-we-merge-our/) Edna Moore Schultz > [Kevin Freeman has been warning America’s leadership of the dangers of financial terrorism for the last three years. It is happening now and Kevin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-g-boykin/kevin-freeman-has-been-warning-america-s-leadership-of-the-dangers-of/) [William G. Boykin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-g-boykin/) > [“Pursuing your purpose in life, goals and dreams is important but making room for pleasure and hobbies is also necessary. It’s in those moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardiana-cohn/pursuing-your-purpose-in-life-goals-and-dreams-is-important-but/) Ardiana Cohn > [I have unclasp'd to thee the book even of my secret soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-have-unclasp-d-to-thee-the-book-even-of-my-secret-soul/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [We should stop thinking of Snowden, to the extent that we ever were, as a hero. We should stop thinking of him as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/we-should-stop-thinking-of-snowden-to-the-extent-that-we-ever-were-as/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [That's a problem. I mean, like any sort of growing startup organization, we are sort of overwhelmed by our growth. And that means we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/that-s-a-problem-i-mean-like-any-sort-of-growing-startup-organization/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [As for labeling someone a whistleblower, I think it does them - it does all of us - a disservice, because it "otherizes" us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-for-labeling-someone-a-whistleblower-i-think-it-does-them-it-does/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [“Group minds are a result of collective discussion and working out of a consensus, which can be listened to (unlike an unreadable mind). Arriving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-turchin/group-minds-are-a-result-of-collective-discussion-and-working-out-of/) Peter Turchin > [You will be a far more effective whistleblower if you operate within a legal framework.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wylie/you-will-be-a-far-more-effective-whistleblower-if-you-operate-within/) [Christopher Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wylie/) > [The thing that I realized in my journey as a whistleblower... is that the reaction that I got from a lot of law enforcement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wylie/the-thing-that-i-realized-in-my-journey-as-a-whistleblower-is-that/) [Christopher Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wylie/) > [“Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) is largely an interrogation agency for whistle-blowers that extracts their full range of knowledge without upholding their legal rights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/occupational-safety-health-administration-osha-is-largely-an/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by Edward Lucas > [“More importantly in my view, the Obama administration has treated whistleblowers with scandalous harshness, especially those from inside the intelligence community. The hardest point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/more-importantly-in-my-view-the-obama-administration-has-treated/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“The single biggest lesson of the whole Snowden fiasco is that America's own sloppiness made it vulnerable: whether to misguided whistleblowers, saboteurs or foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/the-single-biggest-lesson-of-the-whole-snowden-fiasco-is-that-america/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“The Snowden revelations have also exposed the fact that senior officials, particularly America's Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, have not been fully frank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/the-snowden-revelations-have-also-exposed-the-fact-that-senior/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“The idea that the material is safe because it is encrypted is shockingly naïve: it is child's play for a sophisticated adversary to place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/the-idea-that-the-material-is-safe-because-it-is-encrypted-is/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“The Kremlin also is determined, along with China, to wrest control of the internet from the American-based committees which run it now. It wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/the-kremlin-also-is-determined-along-with-china-to-wrest-control-of/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“It is only a mild caricature to say that the presumption behind the leaks is that the intelligence agencies in the West are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/it-is-only-a-mild-caricature-to-say-that-the-presumption-behind-the/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“It is important not to concentrate the defence case too narrowly on terrorism. That is a grave threat, but not the only one. Invoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/it-is-important-not-to-concentrate-the-defence-case-too-narrowly-on/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“Relationships have decayed; trust has ebbed. This is not a new problem. George W Bush's administration made a bonfire of American soft power with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/relationships-have-decayed-trust-has-ebbed-this-is-not-a-new-problem/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“The Snowdenistas' exaggeration stems from a conflation of self-criticism with self-hatred. In their eyes, democracy, the rule of law and constitutional government have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/the-snowdenistas-exaggeration-stems-from-a-conflation-of-self/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“I freely admit that it is possible that Snowden conceived his plan on his own, and with honourable if mistaken motives. It may well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/i-freely-admit-that-it-is-possible-that-snowden-conceived-his-plan-on/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“Perhaps the gravest charge was that America conflated commercial espionage with statecraft. That would be shocking if true. It would be illegal under American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/perhaps-the-gravest-charge-was-that-america-conflated-commercial/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“If the NSA is able to intercept the communications of a top Russian politician, surely it deserves praise (in private), not censure and exposure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/if-the-nsa-is-able-to-intercept-the-communications-of-a-top-russian/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“The NSA and allies scamper through the plumbing of the internet like mice through the nooks and crannies of an old house. Huge slices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/the-nsa-and-allies-scamper-through-the-plumbing-of-the-internet-like/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“The members of the committee were aware of the programmes concerned, having been briefed on them in classified sessions. The question was, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/the-members-of-the-committee-were-aware-of-the-programmes-concerned/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [“The recklessness, damage, narcissism, and self-righteousness of the Snowden camp do not invalidate all their aims. A debate on the collection and warehousing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/the-recklessness-damage-narcissism-and-self-righteousness-of-the/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) [Explore all 22 Edward Lucas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Rahul Sagar, a professor at Princeton, has defined these well in his new book Secrets and Leaks:73 First, a whistleblower must have clear and convincing evidence of abuse. Second, releasing the information must not pose a disproportionate threat to public safety. Third, the information leaked must be as limited in scope and scale as possible. Snowden failed all three of these criteria. He has not shown systematic abuse, only secrecy and mistakes. He has harmed and weakened his country and its allies (indeed, for some Snowdenistas, this is a stated aim). He has stolen far more information than was necessary to make the case he purports to want to make. Why?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Lucas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has-defined-these-well-in-his/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has-defined-these-well-in-his/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edward-lucas-26092_books_rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has_2067589.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edward-lucas-26092_books_rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has_2067589.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/edward-lucas-26092_books_rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has_2067589.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Rahul Sagar, a professor at Princeton, has defined these well in his new book Secrets and Leaks:73 First, a…” — Edward Lucas", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edward Lucas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Rahul Sagar, a professor at Princeton,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has-defined-these-well-in-his/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/rahul-sagar-a-professor-at-princeton-has-defined-these-well-in-his/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```