--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have the means and we have the…" description: "\"We have the means and we have the technology to end mass surveillance without any legislative action at all, without any policy changes.\" — Edward Snowden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/edward-snowden-555_action_we-have-the-means-and-we-have-the-techno_1325738.jpg" --- # We have the means and we have the technology to end mass… ![“We have the means and we have the technology to end mass surveillance without any legislative action at all, without any policy changes.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/edward-snowden-555_action_we-have-the-means-and-we-have-the-techno_1325738.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/edward-snowden-555_action_we-have-the-means-and-we-have-the-techno_1325738.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/edward-snowden-555_action_we-have-the-means-and-we-have-the-techno_1325738.jpg) > “We have the means and we have the technology to end mass surveillance without any legislative action at all, without any policy changes.” [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. We can stop mass surveillance using existing tech without new laws, but it requires collective will and ethical choices. **In simple terms:** We can end surveillance with current tools if we choose. Key Takeaway Act now, demand ethical tech use. Themes privacy technology ethics Mood concerned determined Type activist political When to use this quote - activism - policy advocacy - public awareness - technology deployment Key Concepts surveillance digital rights collective action Questions to Reflect On - What ethical frameworks can guide tech use? - How can citizens enforce change without legislation? A Different Perspective Changing tech alone may not overcome entrenched power structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Surveillance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surveillance/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [When I was working in Japan, I created a system for ensuring that intelligence data was globally recoverable in the event of a disaster.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-i-was-working-in-japan-i-created-a-system-for-ensuring-that/) [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/) > [We have to argue forcefully and demand that the government recognise that these programmes do not prevent - mass surveillance does not prevent acts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-have-to-argue-forcefully-and-demand-that-the-government-recognise/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We have to recognise that rights are being violated. The United Nations actually filed a report that found that that was the case, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-have-to-recognise-that-rights-are-being-violated-the-united/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If even one country, an Iceland for example, defects from this global legislative bargain and says no, we're not going to enforcement mass surveillance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-even-one-country-an-iceland-for-example-defects-from-this-global/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I acted on my belief that the NSA's mass surveillance programs would not withstand a constitutional challenge, and that the American public deserved a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-acted-on-my-belief-that-the-nsa-s-mass-surveillance-programs-would/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [When we have some horrible terrorist attacks happen in some country we see in the recording that follows, that the intelligence community already knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-we-have-some-horrible-terrorist-attacks-happen-in-some-country/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [One of the foremost activities of the NSA's FAD, or Foreign Affairs Division, is to pressure or incentivize EU member states to change their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/one-of-the-foremost-activities-of-the-nsa-s-fad-or-foreign-affairs/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We have to call mass surveillance mass surveillance. We can't let governments around the world redefine, and sort of weasel their way out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-have-to-call-mass-surveillance-mass-surveillance-we-can-t-let/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I have used mass surveillance to target people, so I do know how it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-have-used-mass-surveillance-to-target-people-so-i-do-know-how-it/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [When we look at the full-on mass surveillance watching everyone in the country, in the United States, it doesn't work. It didn't stop the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-we-look-at-the-full-on-mass-surveillance-watching-everyone-in/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Someone recently talked about mass surveillance and the NSA revelations as being the atomic moment for computer scientists. The atomic bomb was the moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/someone-recently-talked-about-mass-surveillance-and-the-nsa/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If we don't do anything, if we go along with the status quo, we are going to have a mass surveillance world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-we-don-t-do-anything-if-we-go-along-with-the-status-quo-we-are/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The issue I brought forward most clearly was that of mass surveillance, not of surveillance in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-issue-i-brought-forward-most-clearly-was-that-of-mass/) [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 Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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