--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know that fundamentally, changes to the…" description: "\"I know that fundamentally, changes to the fabric of the internet, and sort of our methods of communication, can enforce our rights.\" — Edward Snowden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/edward-snowden-555_change_i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the_1947885.jpg" --- # I know that fundamentally, changes to the fabric of the… ![“I know that fundamentally, changes to the fabric of the internet, and sort of our methods of communication, can enforce our rights.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/edward-snowden-555_change_i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the_1947885.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/edward-snowden-555_change_i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the_1947885.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/edward-snowden-555_change_i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the_1947885.jpg) > “I know that fundamentally, changes to the fabric of the internet, and sort of our methods of communication, can enforce our rights.” [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. Changing internet infrastructure can protect civil liberties by embedding rights into communication tools. **In simple terms:** Internet design can safeguard rights. Key Takeaway Advocate for rights‑preserving tech. Themes privacy digital rights technology law activism Mood concerned determined Type activist analytical When to use this quote - online activism - policy drafting - software development - public advocacy Key Concepts cryptography decentralization surveillance policy ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance security with privacy? - What design choices best embed rights? A Different Perspective Technical constraints may limit universal adoption. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [If anyone can make anything, anywhere. It fundamentally changes the meaning of business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gershenfeld/if-anyone-can-make-anything-anywhere-it-fundamentally-changes-the/) [Neil Gershenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gershenfeld/) > [Of course, fatherhood fundamentally changes a lot of your life, but it enriches you, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ashcroft/of-course-fatherhood-fundamentally-changes-a-lot-of-your-life-but-it/) [Richard Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ashcroft/) > [ \[The PlayStation 2 is a\] historic, a mass-market appliance that fundamentally changes society in the way the printing press did. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trip-hawkins/the-playstation-2-is-a-historic-a-mass-market-appliance-that/) [Trip Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trip-hawkins/) > [If the Bill of Rights was intended to place strict limits on federal power and protect individual and locality from the national government the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/if-the-bill-of-rights-was-intended-to-place-strict-limits-on-federal/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [If people don't get paid for their inventions, that's not a good thing. In the case of many patents, there are people who aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/if-people-don-t-get-paid-for-their-inventions-that-s-not-a-good-thing/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [I considered myself engaged in a war from Day One. And my objective was to force the federal government - the Kennedy administration at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-meredith/i-considered-myself-engaged-in-a-war-from-day-one-and-my-objective/) [James Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-meredith/) > [President Ronald Reagan used to speak of the Soviet constitution, and he noted that it purported to grant wonderful rights of all sorts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/president-ronald-reagan-used-to-speak-of-the-soviet-constitution-and/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [By leaning on companies, by leaning on infrastructure providers, by leaning on researchers, graduate students, post-docs, even undergrads, to look at the challenges having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/by-leaning-on-companies-by-leaning-on-infrastructure-providers-by/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [After spending 460 days as a hostage, I did emerge a fundamentally changed person. But I think, like everyone does as they grow older…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lindhout/after-spending-460-days-as-a-hostage-i-did-emerge-a-fundamentally/) [Amanda Lindhout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lindhout/) > [No one should be adored, it's fundamentally immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/no-one-should-be-adored-it-s-fundamentally-immoral/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-lord-of-the-rings-is-of-course-a-fundamentally-religious-and/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Fundamentally, I like to accomplish things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/fundamentally-i-like-to-accomplish-things/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [Life is fundamentally up for grabs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/life-is-fundamentally-up-for-grabs/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [The role of the church and the government are fundamentally different. The church must always show compassion - always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-role-of-the-church-and-the-government-are-fundamentally-different/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Don't underestimate the power of your vision to change the world. Whether that world is your office, your community, an industry or a global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/don-t-underestimate-the-power-of-your-vision-to-change-the-world/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) ## 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 Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know that fundamentally, changes to the fabric of the internet, and sort of our methods of communication, can enforce our rights.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Snowden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the-fabric-of-the-internet-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the-fabric-of-the-internet-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/edward-snowden-555_change_i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the_1947885.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/edward-snowden-555_change_i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the_1947885.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61f/edward-snowden-555_change_i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the_1947885.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know that fundamentally, changes to the fabric of the internet, and sort of our methods of communication…” — 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 know that fundamentally, changes to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the-fabric-of-the-internet-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-know-that-fundamentally-changes-to-the-fabric-of-the-internet-and/#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 } } ] } ```