Steven Levy on the NSA

Steven Levy wrote two articles for Wired about the Edward Snowden leaks and the NSA. On interviewing top officials at the NSA, after initially being turned down:

NSA officials are infuriated that all this havoc was caused by some random contractor … Still, they are stunned that someone “inside the fence” would do what Snowden did.

Does the NSA collectively understand that whatever good intentions they may have, their actions have been dangerous and deeply offending? The feelings of betrayal they have for Snowden are exactly the same as our feelings towards them.

Silicon Valley was reeling, collateral damage in the war on terror. And it was only going to get worse.

Privacy and censorship are reduced to shades of grey as the west gives up the high moral ground it used to oppose unfriendly governments. What will the cost be to the global economy and international cooperation? And for the Internet’s future growth?