--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This whole pre-criminal investigation…" description: "\"This whole pre-criminal investigation, where we watch everybody, all the time, just in case, is really an extraordinary departure from the Western libe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/edward-snowden-555_cases_this-whole-pre-criminal-investigation-wh_415431.jpg" --- # This whole pre-criminal investigation, where we watch… ![“This whole pre-criminal investigation, where we watch everybody, all the time, just in case, is really an extraordinary departure from the Western liberal tradition.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/edward-snowden-555_cases_this-whole-pre-criminal-investigation-wh_415431.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/edward-snowden-555_cases_this-whole-pre-criminal-investigation-wh_415431.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/edward-snowden-555_cases_this-whole-pre-criminal-investigation-wh_415431.jpg) > “This whole pre-criminal investigation, where we watch everybody, all the time, just in case, is really an extraordinary departure from the Western liberal tradition.” [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 the core principles of Western liberty, marking a stark shift from traditional freedoms. **In simple terms:** Surveillance threatens liberty. Key Takeaway Guard privacy rights. Themes privacy freedom surveillance government Mood cautious critical Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy debate - technology ethics - public awareness - legal reform Key Concepts civil liberties state power digital monitoring Questions to Reflect On - Is constant monitoring ever justified for safety? - How can societies protect freedoms without compromising security? A Different Perspective Balancing security and privacy remains contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criminal investigation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-investigation/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) [Departure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/departure/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) ## Related quotes > [China is innocent. China is ready to watch the investigation and to watch the possible results of that investigation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-zhaoxing/china-is-innocent-china-is-ready-to-watch-the-investigation-and-to/) [Li Zhaoxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-zhaoxing/) > [I have to tell you, virtually every country I've gone to, the Catholic church is on the cutting edge of social change. Really extraordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/i-have-to-tell-you-virtually-every-country-i-ve-gone-to-the-catholic/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [The music departments in the public school system gave me a really extraordinary foundation and music appreciation that I still draw from, even today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/the-music-departments-in-the-public-school-system-gave-me-a-really/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [It's really extraordinary what a variety of ways of loving there must be. We all do it as it was never done before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/it-s-really-extraordinary-what-a-variety-of-ways-of-loving-there-must/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [When you think in terms of public service, I heard so much about what Mother Theresa had done in her life. And I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-fauci/when-you-think-in-terms-of-public-service-i-heard-so-much-about-what/) [Anthony Fauci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-fauci/) > [“Sometimes that which seems ordinary is really most extraordinary of all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-p-kozlowsky/sometimes-that-which-seems-ordinary-is-really-most-extraordinary-of/) [M.P. Kozlowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-p-kozlowsky/) > [I'm so excited to be appearing in 'Peter Pan.' It really is an extraordinary production, the like of which Wembley has never seen before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-walsh/i-m-so-excited-to-be-appearing-in-peter-pan-it-really-is-an/) [Bradley Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-walsh/) > [I watch everybody and tried to take bits and pieces from everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wiggins/i-watch-everybody-and-tried-to-take-bits-and-pieces-from-everybody/) [Andrew Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wiggins/) > [WATCH YOUR BACK BECAUSE EVERYBODY DONT HAVE IT..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drq/watch-your-back-because-everybody-dont-have-it/) [DRQ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drq/) > [Being invisible would be pretty great. You could watch everybody, sneak into places and know what people were saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-pressly/being-invisible-would-be-pretty-great-you-could-watch-everybody-sneak/) [Jaime Pressly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-pressly/) > [I watch everybody, man. But AP is a physical runner and I definitely like to be physical, so I'd say we probably have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gurley/i-watch-everybody-man-but-ap-is-a-physical-runner-and-i-definitely/) [Todd Gurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gurley/) > [The best way to protect your own freedom is to watch everybody else's back. That's the essence of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/the-best-way-to-protect-your-own-freedom-is-to-watch-everybody-else-s/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [The watch everybody rap about, I have in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/offset/the-watch-everybody-rap-about-i-have-in-real-life/) Offset > [I was the first one on the team, and I got to watch everybody come in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie/i-was-the-first-one-on-the-team-and-i-got-to-watch-everybody-come-in/) [Jennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie/) > [I watch everybody every night, from sitting down to being on their feet at the end, and I feel a sense of reinvention, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-adams/i-watch-everybody-every-night-from-sitting-down-to-being-on-their/) [Bryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-adams/) ## 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 Cases quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. 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