Against Quote by Edward Snowden
“You can't come forward against the world's most powerful intelligence agencies and be completely free from risk.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: TED Conference, 2014
Challenging powerful agencies entails risk; true freedom is unattainable without danger.
In simple terms: Opposing intelligence agencies is risky and limits freedom.
Key Takeaway
Accept risk for truth.
Themes
privacy
freedom
risk
Mood
cautious
serious
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- journalism
- whistleblowing
- policy advocacy
- digital security
Key Concepts
surveillance
ethical dissent
Questions to Reflect On
- What risks are you willing to take for transparency?
- How can societies protect dissenters?
A Different Perspective
Legal repercussions may outweigh benefits.
![“If Congress is going to investigate baseball players about whether or not they told the truth, how can we justify giving the most powerful intelligence official, [James] Clapper, a pass? This is how J. Edgar Hoover ended up in charge of the FBI forever.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/544/edward-snowden-555_ball-player_if-congress-is-going-to-investigate-base_388233.jpg)
![“[Brazil] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data sovereignty."” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/af7/edward-snowden-555_brazil_brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-n_14906.jpg)
![“There was a real choice when [Barack Obama] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold senior officials to account with the same laws that every other citizen in the country is held to," or "This is a nation that believes in the rule of law."” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/104/edward-snowden-555_accounts_there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obam_27838.jpg)
