Ed Snowden

Edward Snowden is a former NSA contractor who leaked classified information in 2013 revealing widespread government surveillance programs. His disclosures exposed how intelligence agencies collected data on millions of individuals worldwide, including citizens and foreign nationals, often without proper oversight. Snowden argued that transparency and privacy are fundamental rights and that government overreach posed significant threats. His actions sparked global debates on security, privacy, and government accountability, leading some to view him as a whistleblower and others as a traitor. He currently resides in Russia, where he sought asylum to avoid prosecution in the United States.