Community Quote by Edward Snowden
“When we have some horrible terrorist attacks happen in some country we see in the recording that follows, that the intelligence community already knew about these people in advance. We know that these countries were involved in intelligence sharing premiums, that they benefited from mass surveillance, and yet they didn't stop the attacks. Yet at the same time we immediately see intelligence officials running to the newspapers and claiming that we need more surveillance, that we need more intrusion, that we need more expense of powers because it could have stopped an attack.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Testimony on surveillance, 2015
He critiques the paradox where intelligence agencies know threats yet fail to act, then push for more surveillance after attacks.
In simple terms: He points out the failure to act on known threats and the push for more spying.
Key Takeaway
Demand accountability before expanding surveillance.
Themes
surveillance
government
terrorism
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
political
analytical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- legislative hearings
- public advocacy
- media analysis
Key Concepts
privacy
policy
ethics
accountability
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do governments continue ineffective surveillance?
- What alternatives could protect security without expanding power?
A Different Perspective
More surveillance may not prevent attacks and can erode civil liberties.
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