--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Suspicionless surveillance has no place…" description: "\"Suspicionless surveillance has no place in a democracy. The next 60 days are a historic opportunity to rein in the NSA, but the only one who can end th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/edward-snowden-555_abuse_suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place_1058666.jpg" --- # Suspicionless surveillance has no place in a democracy… ![“Suspicionless surveillance has no place in a democracy. The next 60 days are a historic opportunity to rein in the NSA, but the only one who can end the worst of its abuses is you. Call your representatives and tell them that the unconstitutional 'bulk collection' of Americans' private records…” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/edward-snowden-555_abuse_suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place_1058666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/edward-snowden-555_abuse_suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place_1058666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/edward-snowden-555_abuse_suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place_1058666.jpg) > “Suspicionless surveillance has no place in a democracy. The next 60 days are a historic opportunity to rein in the NSA, but the only one who can end the worst of its abuses is you. Call your representatives and tell them that the unconstitutional 'bulk collection' of Americans' private records under Section 215 of the Patriot Act must end.” [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. Mass surveillance erodes democratic freedoms; citizens must act to protect privacy. **In simple terms:** Surveillance threatens democracy; citizens must intervene. Key Takeaway Contact representatives to demand privacy protections. Themes privacy democracy activism Mood urgent determined Type political activist When to use this quote - emailing legislators - joining advocacy groups - public demonstrations - social media campaigns Key Concepts civil liberties government overreach surveillance state Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take today to protect privacy? - How effective is citizen pressure on intelligence agencies? A Different Perspective Change may be slow and face strong institutional resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Collections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collections/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Historic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historic/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Nsa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nsa/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Patriot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriot/) [Patriot act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriot-act/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [Rein Nsa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rein-nsa-2573536/) [Reins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reins/) [Representatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/representatives/) [Sections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sections/) [Surveillance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surveillance/) [Suspicionless Surveillance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspicionless-surveillance-1004613/) [Unconstitutional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconstitutional/) [Unconstitutional Bulk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconstitutional-bulk-2573537/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) ## Related quotes > [Suspicionless surveillance does not become okay simply because it's only victimizing 95% of the world instead of 100%.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/suspicionless-surveillance-does-not-become-okay-simply-because-it-s/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Ending mass surveillance of private phone calls under the Patriot Act is a historic victory for the rights of every citizen. Yet while we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/ending-mass-surveillance-of-private-phone-calls-under-the-patriot-act/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ \[Bill\] Binney designed ThinThread, an NSA program that used encryption to try to make mass surveillance less objectionable. It would still have been unlawful… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/bill-binney-designed-thinthread-an-nsa-program-that-used-encryption/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Prior to the passage of the Patriot Act, it was very difficult - often impossible - for us to share information with the Central…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/prior-to-the-passage-of-the-patriot-act-it-was-very-difficult-often/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [When the September 11th attacks happened, only about a year later, the crypto community was holding its breath because here was a time when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-blaze/when-the-september-11th-attacks-happened-only-about-a-year-later-the/) [Matt Blaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-blaze/) > [In the aftermath of 9/11, the Patriot Act was rushed to the floor. Several hundred pages. Nobody read it ... But people voted because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/in-the-aftermath-of-9-11-the-patriot-act-was-rushed-to-the-floor/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I will not let the Patriot Act, the most unpatriotic of acts, go unchallenged. At the very least, we should debate. We should debate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-will-not-let-the-patriot-act-the-most-unpatriotic-of-acts-go/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [You know, we've been right on everything, haven't we? We told people about drones five years ago, didn't we? We told people about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/you-know-we-ve-been-right-on-everything-haven-t-we-we-told-people/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [I took what I knew to the public, so what affects all of us can be discussed by all of us in the light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-took-what-i-knew-to-the-public-so-what-affects-all-of-us-can-be/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The public needs to know the kinds of things a government does in its name, or the 'consent of the governed' is meaningless... The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-public-needs-to-know-the-kinds-of-things-a-government-does-in-its/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [They still have negligent auditing, they still have things going for a walk, and they have no idea where they're coming from and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/they-still-have-negligent-auditing-they-still-have-things-going-for-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ I believe that when \[senator Ron\] Wyden and \[senator Mark\] Udall asked about the scale of this, they \[the NSA\] said it did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-believe-that-when-senator-ron-wyden-and-senator-mark-udall-asked/) [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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## 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 Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Suspicionless surveillance has no place in a democracy. The next 60 days are a historic opportunity to rein in the NSA, but the only one who can end the worst of its abuses is you. Call your representatives and tell them that the unconstitutional 'bulk collection' of Americans' private records under Section 215 of the Patriot Act must end.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Snowden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place-in-a-democracy-the-next-60/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place-in-a-democracy-the-next-60/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/edward-snowden-555_abuse_suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place_1058666.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/edward-snowden-555_abuse_suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place_1058666.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/edward-snowden-555_abuse_suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place_1058666.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Suspicionless surveillance has no place in a democracy. The next 60 days are a historic opportunity to rein…” — 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": "Suspicionless surveillance has no place in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place-in-a-democracy-the-next-60/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/suspicionless-surveillance-has-no-place-in-a-democracy-the-next-60/#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 } } ] } ```