Edward Snowden Kantian Ethics - 1885 Words

Edward Snowden, Kantian Ethics Edward Snowden the Ethical Issue In early 2013 a man by the name of Edward Joseph Snowden began leaking classified National Security Agency (NSA) documents to media outlets, which in turn ended up in public ears. These documents, mainly involving intelligence Snowden acquired while working as an NSA contractor, are mostly related to global surveillance programs run by the NSA. This has raised multiple ethical issues ranging from national security, information privacy and the ethics behind whistleblowing in general. The reach and impact of these leaks have gone global and have put in question the very government that protects us as well as the extent of the public’s rights on privacy. Various foreign†¦show more content†¦The fact Snowden chose to leak only information he and his media connections felt would not be detrimental to the public or government, yet would provide enough information that the public as to start an open debate on â€Å"big brother† oversight and privacy laws, shows that S nowden was in good faith and conscious leaking information for good and not for personal gains. The government, specifically the NSA and Obama Administration have been embarrassed by the leaks. Their aim is to bring Snowden back to the US for prosecution and have him be the next target under the Espionage Act for whistleblowers. Under the Obama Administration there have been double the amount of people prosecuted under the act than any other previous administration in history since the enacting. (Greenberg, 2014) It seems that Snowden has seen an unfairness and gross abuse of power and has felt compelled to bring these things to light for the public interest, and for the global stage. The need for change from such actions, the employment of fear to strip the public’s rights and privacies, and the use of mining centers to take all our data to whatever government end has all been shown. They (the government) is not particularly happy with the revealed truths behind their hidden programs. The fact they label it under the Espionage Act as to say Snowden has aided our enemies in breaching national security is, to the open minded and intelligent, a cowardly move, since our â€Å"enemies† already have knownShow MoreRelatedComputer Ethics Term Paper : Security Vs. Privacy1518 Words   |  7 PagesJames Santana Computer Ethics Term Paper Security vs. Privacy Following the terrorist attacks on September of 2001, President George W. Bush signed into law The USA PATRIOT Act. Intended to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, The Patriot Act made changes to surveillance laws that enabled the U.S government to collect computer information about both American and foreign citizens in unprecedented ways. During the following years, through a series of legislative changes and court decisionsRead MoreSecurity Vs. Privacy : Should Edward Snowden Be Pardoned For Leaking1277 Words   |  6 PagesSecurity vs. Privacy Should Edward Snowden be pardoned for leaking thousands of classified NSA documents? An analysis of the merits of the Snowden leaks and the broader issue of security vs. privacy and mass surveillance from the perspective of at least two ethical theories. Following the terrorist attacks on 911, President George W. Bush signed into law The USA PATRIOT Act. Intended to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, The Patriot Act the made changes to surveillance laws thatRead MoreThe Ethical Issues Involving Edward Snowden ´s Case1589 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The ethical issues involving Edward Snowden’s case encompass key issues of morality. Snowden’s actions are to be interpreted as right or wrong based on the circumstances and personal reasoning. The preceding interpretation is this case in every ethical quandary. Once these issues are assimilated to the affected parties we begin to understand the larger picture of morality and ethical reasoning in Snowden’s case. Ethical Issues One ethical issue in Snowden’s case is that if fails toRead MoreGovernment Surveillance On Social Media1750 Words   |  7 PagesUnited States. This paper will be structured as follows. Section 2 will cover a basic overview of the rise of social media through the past few years and the government’s use of social media for surveillance. Section 3 will cover an Utilitarian and Kantian ethical view on the use of government surveillance on the social media of local citizens. Section 4 will cover the social impact and views that citizens may have about the surveillance of their social media accounts. Lastly Section 5 will cover the