--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When people in power can operate in the…" description: "\"When people in power can operate in the dark, inevitably they abuse that power. So, you need outside forces to bring light and transparency to what the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/glenn-greenwald-1215_abuse_when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the_924162.jpg" --- # When people in power can operate in the dark, inevitably… ![“When people in power can operate in the dark, inevitably they abuse that power. So, you need outside forces to bring light and transparency to what they're doing. And, one of the ways you do that is through journalism, and through guaranteeing a free press. That is its purpose, to provide a check…” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/glenn-greenwald-1215_abuse_when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the_924162.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/glenn-greenwald-1215_abuse_when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the_924162.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/glenn-greenwald-1215_abuse_when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the_924162.jpg) > “When people in power can operate in the dark, inevitably they abuse that power. So, you need outside forces to bring light and transparency to what they're doing. And, one of the ways you do that is through journalism, and through guaranteeing a free press. That is its purpose, to provide a check on those who wield power.” [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power thrives in secrecy; transparency through journalism checks abuse and protects democracy. **In simple terms:** Watchful press limits power. Key Takeaway Support free, investigative media. Themes media democracy accountability Mood concerned determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - government oversight - corporate ethics - public policy - activism Key Concepts political theory press freedom Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens ensure media independence? - What role should individuals play in demanding transparency? A Different Perspective Press can be biased or manipulated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Free press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-press/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-power/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Transparency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transparency/) ## Related quotes > [I can't tell my people that you will get power only from 6 A.M. to 5 P.M., and after that, we live in darkness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piyush-goyal/i-can-t-tell-my-people-that-you-will-get-power-only-from-6-a-m-to-5-p/) [Piyush Goyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piyush-goyal/) > [People in power need advisers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/people-in-power-need-advisers/) [Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/) > [All my stories were usually titled, 'White House Says,' 'President Bush Wants,' and I relied on transcripts from the briefings. I relied on press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-gannon/all-my-stories-were-usually-titled-white-house-says-president-bush/) [Jeff Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-gannon/) > [“The world isn't fair? What a huge revelation! Some people in power abuse those they have power over? Amazing! When did this start happening?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-world-isn-t-fair-what-a-huge-revelation-some-people-in-power/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [Only by fighting for democratic power do workers educate themselves up to the level of being able to wield that power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-draper/only-by-fighting-for-democratic-power-do-workers-educate-themselves/) Hal Draper > [I would say that by virtue of your not acting parental up to this point, you've relinquished your ability to wield any power now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-would-say-that-by-virtue-of-your-not-acting-parental-up-to-this/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [The way you wield your power is about using it to afford you opportunities that you wouldn't otherwise have. So I'm very creatively ambitious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/the-way-you-wield-your-power-is-about-using-it-to-afford-you/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [“Too much power. Too much. Even the Blood weren’t meant to wield this much power. Even Witch had never controlled this much power. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bishop/too-much-power-too-much-even-the-blood-weren-t-meant-to-wield-this/) [Anne Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bishop/) > [“Then who do we answer to? Ourselves?" "Of course. Who else can we trust to wield our power? We must follow our own consciences."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-denning/then-who-do-we-answer-to-ourselves-of-course-who-else-can-we-trust-to/) [Troy Denning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-denning/) > [“His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/his-job-is-not-to-wield-power-but-to-draw-attention-away-from-it/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Secrecy is the linchpin of abuse of power, . . . its enabling force. Transparency is the only real antidote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/secrecy-is-the-linchpin-of-abuse-of-power-its-enabling-force/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [You can't just provide power, you also need public education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/you-can-t-just-provide-power-you-also-need-public-education/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [The grid is going to be a very different system in 2020, 2030. We keep thinking that we want it to be there and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-holliday/the-grid-is-going-to-be-a-very-different-system-in-2020-2030-we-keep/) Steve Holliday > [“The free press guarantee does not only protect corporate reporters but anyone engaged in journalism, whether employed or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-free-press-guarantee-does-not-only-protect-corporate-reporters/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [You have within you all the power you need with which to get whatever you want or need in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/you-have-within-you-all-the-power-you-need-with-which-to-get-whatever/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More by Glenn Greenwald > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“The evidence shows that assurances that surveillance is only targeted at those who “have done something wrong” should provide little comfort, since a state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-evidence-shows-that-assurances-that-surveillance-is-only-targeted/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“It's almost hard to imagine anything more undemocratic than the view that political officials should not debate American wars in public, but only express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-almost-hard-to-imagine-anything-more-undemocratic-than-the-view/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [It's hardly news that the Obama administration is intensely and, in many respects, unprecedentedly hostile toward the news-gathering process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-hardly-news-that-the-obama-administration-is-intensely-and-in/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Only In America can a renowned and devoted terrorism supporter like Peter King be the arbiter of national security and treason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/only-in-america-can-a-renowned-and-devoted-terrorism-supporter-like/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Above even our physical well-being, a central value is keeping the state out of the private realm—our “persons, houses, papers, and effects,” as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/above-even-our-physical-well-being-a-central-value-is-keeping-the/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people and no American would have any privacy left, such is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/that-capability-at-any-time-could-be-turned-around-on-the-american/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Converting the Internet into a system of surveillance thus guts it of its core potential. Worse, it turns the Internet into a tool of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/converting-the-internet-into-a-system-of-surveillance-thus-guts-it-of/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“the desire for privacy is shared by us all as an essential, not ancillary, part of what it means to be human. We all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-desire-for-privacy-is-shared-by-us-all-as-an-essential-not/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-don-t-have-a-side-i-m-responsible-for-what-i-say-and-nothing-else/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Encryption matters, and it is not just for spies and philanderers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/encryption-matters-and-it-is-not-just-for-spies-and-philanderers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Among other devices, the agency intercepts and tampers with routers and servers manufactured by Cisco to direct large amounts of Internet traffic back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/among-other-devices-the-agency-intercepts-and-tampers-with-routers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“NSA has increasingly made use of a secret technology that enables it to enter and alter data in computers even if they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/nsa-has-increasingly-made-use-of-a-secret-technology-that-enables-it/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [A key purpose of journalism is to provide an adversarial check on those who wield the greatest power by shining a light on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/a-key-purpose-of-journalism-is-to-provide-an-adversarial-check-on/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“We all instinctively understand that the private realm is where we can act, think, speak, write, experiment, and choose how to be, away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/we-all-instinctively-understand-that-the-private-realm-is-where-we/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) [Explore all 270 Glenn Greenwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## 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": "When people in power can operate in the dark, inevitably they abuse that power. So, you need outside forces to bring light and transparency to what they're doing. And, one of the ways you do that is through journalism, and through guaranteeing a free press. That is its purpose, to provide a check on those who wield power.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Glenn Greenwald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the-dark-inevitably-they-abuse/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the-dark-inevitably-they-abuse/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/glenn-greenwald-1215_abuse_when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the_924162.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/glenn-greenwald-1215_abuse_when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the_924162.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/glenn-greenwald-1215_abuse_when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the_924162.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When people in power can operate in the dark, inevitably they abuse that power. So, you need outside forces…” — Glenn Greenwald", "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": "Glenn Greenwald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When people in power can operate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the-dark-inevitably-they-abuse/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/when-people-in-power-can-operate-in-the-dark-inevitably-they-abuse/#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 } } ] } ```