--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't in good conscience allow the U.S…" description: "\"I can't in good conscience allow the U.S. government to destroy privacy, internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this mas..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s_2322515.jpg" --- # I can't in good conscience allow the U.S. government to… ![“I can't in good conscience allow the U.S. government to destroy privacy, internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they're secretly building.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s_2322515.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s_2322515.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s_2322515.jpg) > “I can't in good conscience allow the U.S. government to destroy privacy, internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they're secretly building.” [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that government surveillance threatens privacy, freedom, and basic rights worldwide. **In simple terms:** Surveillance harms liberty. Key Takeaway Defend digital rights. Themes privacy freedom government power civil liberties Mood concerned defiant Type political activist When to use this quote - activism - policy advocacy - personal data protection - public awareness Key Concepts surveillance state mass data collection ethical governance Questions to Reflect On - How should societies balance security with privacy? - What safeguards can protect internet freedom? A Different Perspective Balancing security and privacy is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Destroy Privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy-privacy-2725510/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-destroy-972530/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Internet freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet-freedom/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Machine Secretly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machine-secretly-5557782/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Massive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/massive/) [Massive Surveillance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/massive-surveillance-3514210/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privacy/) [Surveillance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surveillance/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Expecting the US government to operate a massive surveillance machine in complete secrecy without falling prey to its temptations runs counter to every historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/expecting-the-us-government-to-operate-a-massive-surveillance-machine/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Today we are at a crossroads. The technology is available for two great options: The massive surveillance state, or the renewed freedom of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-demille/today-we-are-at-a-crossroads-the-technology-is-available-for-two/) [Oliver DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-demille/) > [Despite the Obama administration's proclaimed commitment to global Internet freedom, the executive branch is not transparent about the types and capabilities of surveillance technologies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/despite-the-obama-administration-s-proclaimed-commitment-to-global/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [“The ability to eavesdrop on people's communications vests immense power in those who do it. And unless such power is held in check by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-ability-to-eavesdrop-on-people-s-communications-vests-immense/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [In any socialist government, they must destroy all alliances other than your alliance to the government, and they want the government to become your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-cruz/in-any-socialist-government-they-must-destroy-all-alliances-other/) [Rafael Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-cruz/) > [We will not be silent. We will not obey. We will not allow our government to destroy our humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-kokesh/we-will-not-be-silent-we-will-not-obey-we-will-not-allow-our/) [Adam Kokesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-kokesh/) > [“A gruesome death is a public event. Cops destroy privacy in order to build a concatenation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-david/a-gruesome-death-is-a-public-event-cops-destroy-privacy-in-order-to/) [S. A. David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-david/) > [There is a massive apparatus within the United States government that with complete secrecy has been building this enormous structure that has only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/there-is-a-massive-apparatus-within-the-united-states-government-that/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“There was something solemn in it- but love and religion would destroy that, whatever it was, the privacy of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/there-was-something-solemn-in-it-but-love-and-religion-would-destroy/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The success of those doctrines would also subvert the Federal Constitution, change the character of the Federal Government, and destroy our rights in respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-success-of-those-doctrines-would-also-subvert-the-federal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Obama administration says we only destroy the privacy of non-Americans. That is not true. The government is spying on Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-obama-administration-says-we-only-destroy-the-privacy-of-non/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [The government can destroy wealth but it cannot create wealth, which is the product of labor and management working with creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/the-government-can-destroy-wealth-but-it-cannot-create-wealth-which/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [ I was hoping to catch \[Vladimir\] Putin in a lie - like what happened to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper \[in his congressional… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-was-hoping-to-catch-vladimir-putin-in-a-lie-like-what-happened-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The majority of terrorist attacks that have been disrupted in the United States have been disrupted due to things like the Time Square bomber,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-majority-of-terrorist-attacks-that-have-been-disrupted-in-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I don't think there's anything, any threat out there today that anyone can point to, that justifies placing an entire population under mass surveillance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-any-threat-out-there-today-that-anyone/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More by Edward Snowden > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The NSA and Israel wrote Stuxnet together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-nsa-and-israel-wrote-stuxnet-together/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [As a general rule, so long as you have any choice at all, you should never route through or peer with the UK under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-a-general-rule-so-long-as-you-have-any-choice-at-all-you-should/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-lot-of-people-in-2008-voted-for-obama-i-did-not-vote-for-him-i/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too often we forget that social and political movements don't happen overnight. They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ There was a real choice when \[Barack Obama\] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obama-became-president-it-was-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's much easier, I think, to protect communications while they're in transit at least, than it is to enforce legislation in every country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-much-easier-i-think-to-protect-communications-while-they-re-in/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we can't allow the law to become a political weapon or agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-care-more-about-the-country-than-what-happens-to-me-but-we-can-t/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) [Explore all 478 Edward Snowden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More Around the world quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It's difficult to believe in yourself because the idea of self is an artificial construction. You are, in fact, part of the glorious oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-s-difficult-to-believe-in-yourself-because-the-idea-of-self-is-an/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [Since 'coming out,' I've marched in gay pride parades all around the world, I've filled my home full of rainbow tat and I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/since-coming-out-i-ve-marched-in-gay-pride-parades-all-around-the/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [Once, as an experiment, I travelled around the world with a single suit. Before I left, I went to a tailor in Savile Row…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/once-as-an-experiment-i-travelled-around-the-world-with-a-single-suit/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) > [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. I see the Middle East with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-look-at-what-s-happening-around-the-world-and-i-see-iran-four-years/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [“The low point occurred in July, during Romney’s junior week abroad, in which the press became increasingly frustrated over Romney’s refusal to talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/the-low-point-occurred-in-july-during-romney-s-junior-week-abroad-in/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I believe there definitely are good things about social networking. It's a way for people to connect all around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/i-believe-there-definitely-are-good-things-about-social-networking-it/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [“Isn’t everyone on the planet or at least everyone on the planet called me stuck between the two impulses of wanting to walk away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/isn-t-everyone-on-the-planet-or-at-least-everyone-on-the-planet/) [Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/) > [You always can improve and I think that's the beauty of international cricket, particularly test cricket, is playing all around the world against different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-williamson/you-always-can-improve-and-i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-international/) [Kane Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-williamson/) > [Trump is reviled around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-reid/trump-is-reviled-around-the-world/) [Joy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-reid/) [Browse all 3,349 Around the world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can't in good conscience allow the U.S. government to destroy privacy, internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they're secretly building.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Snowden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s-government-to-destroy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Around the world" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s-government-to-destroy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s_2322515.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s_2322515.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/edward-snowden-555_around-the-world_i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s_2322515.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't in good conscience allow the U.S. government to destroy privacy, internet freedom and basic…” — Edward Snowden", "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 Snowden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can't in good conscience allow...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s-government-to-destroy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-can-t-in-good-conscience-allow-the-u-s-government-to-destroy/#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 } } ] } ```