Ethical Implications of the Snowden Revelations

Abstract

abstract

This paper addresses a number of ethical dilemmas and practical consequences of the revelations of Edward Snowden about massive electronic surveillance of telephone calls, emails, social media posts and other “Signals Intelligence” (or SIGINT) across the entire world, but especially including domestic American communications formerly thought immune to such surveillance unless authorized by judicial warrant. Practical consequences matter for all “utilitarian” ethical judgments. The author concludes that by far the largest issue is whether US intelligence professionals regard the US Constitution as supreme law in America, or non-disclosure contracts with individual agencies or the US government. Reactions to Snowden follow this pattern, with security cleared insiders generally considering him a traitor, and ordinary people generally considering him a hero for telling the public about illegal activity within the National Security agency directed against fundamental, and constitutionally protected civil liberties like freedom of speech.