For this week’s class, we read five articles, listen to one podcast, browsed one website, and watched one movie. Our main focus of the week was on the movie Snowden. I have watched this movie once before but completely forgot about it. The story follows a man named Edward Snowden who is a brilliantly smart person. He is first shown in the military, but takes leave due to an injury. He then gets a job in the CIA, in which he finds information he is disgusted by. He quits his position at the Department for National Security. He now knows that all forms of digital communication, not only from foreign governments and terrorist organizations, but from ordinary Americans, who are being monitored by a virtual mountain of data. He becomes a traitor to others, a hero to others and a fugitive from the law when Snowden decides to leak this sensitive information.
Throughout this movie we see Snowden progressively find out when our government is doing and he gets disgusted by it. The government has information on everyone, not only what they post publicly but privately too. “The truth sinks in that no matter what justification you’re selling yourself, this is not about terrorism. Terrorism is the excuse. This is about economic and social control. And the only thing you’re really protecting is the supremacy of your government.” This quote from Snowden shows how fed up he was getting at the government. People have a right to know they are being monitored daily and that everything they post can be seen. Most people do not knwo they are being watched and if more people find out it would cause a panic in some. Some people use the excuse, “I have nothing to hide.” well, do you really want someone you don’t know judging you for the photos you take, the texts you write, or your social media postings?
There have been debates as to if Snowden is a hero or a whistle-blower, in my opinion he is both. He is a whistle-blower for exposing national secrets that have no right to be secrets. He helped inform thousands about the shady work in the government. He is a hero, as if not for him would we know any of this? Would the government ever come out and tell us? No, why would they tell their citizens that they are under constant watch, no matter who you are or what you do. It is scary to realize everything I post or keep on my phone is accessible to the government, while I don’t hide any terrorist plots I personally like my privacy. The government is taking away that privacy, by unknowing people just simply using their phones it is taken away. “I think this is the greatest freedom that I have gained, the fact that I don’t have to worry about what happens tomorrow, because I’m happy with what I’ve done today.” Can you be happy knowing all your movements are tracked? Most of us have our phones with us all-day and night, and the government sees all of it. How will you sleep knowing this? Maybe turning off your phone once in a while is worth it. What are your thoughts? What stuck out the most to you during this movie?
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Is it really that far fetched to think that the government isn’t already doing this absolutely disgusting behavior now though? With all these technological advances throughout the years I think they more than likely have the power to do this and are already doing this. It an invasion of privacy and I feel like we have none of it these days. It could be beneficial for terrorist catching and other law enforcement tasks but I definitely disapprove of what’s happening and what I saw in the movie.
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I think this is something a lot of people kind of knew was happening but did not really know to what extent. The government has a long history of over stepping boundaries and really pushing the limits if not going to far with just about everything you do. This spying probably was happening before 9/11 but really took off after with everyone in the public being afraid and the government never wanting something like that to happen again. It does raise the question what is taking it too far though. I think things that you post online for people to see no matter if you profile is public or not should be there for the government to see. I think it goes too far once they are looking at your personal messages and pictures that you have not made public for others to see at any point they want. The only time these should be subjected for the government to look at is when you are suspected of terrible crimes and they might be able to stop you from commuting these crimes or find others who are in on these crimes.
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