Edward Snowden, Prism and social media: time to delete your account

Edward Snowden, Prism and social media: time to delete your account -

Thanks in a large part of The Guardian and whistleblower Edward Snowden, America and the rest of the world is now aware of a whole new meaning to the word previously innocent, "prism". Revelations conducted by the NSA surveillance activities has seen the Obama administration desperately trying to contain a situation that seems to be spiraling quickly out of control. Headlines Snowden's branding as a traitor are plastered in British and American media, but that did not stop the flurry of questions that the NSA and the broader government must meet.

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of the Prism case is the alleged complicity of so many Internet household names, including Facebook, Twitter, Google, Microsoft and Apple. After initially issuing PR Press conveying messages of bewilderment and shock, many have since changed their minds and admitted they did indeed hand over the data to the spy agency. For over a decade now, we paid our personal information in Internet Systems, and despite the widespread indignation, erasing our online profiles in protest seems almost unthinkable. Living without the ability to Google questions or interact with the will of the many social media to be considered a fate worse than constant surveillance.

Edward Snowden continued to defend his position from his new refuge in Hong Kong. In a livechat with Guardian readers, he explained the main points about how the powers of the NSA extend and why he had waited until now to release his information in the hope that the Obama re-election would lead to a policy change. While government leaders are becoming increasingly angry and panicked by the statement, it seems particularly calm and sure in his convictions.

Britain's equivalent of the NSA, GCHQ, is facing a similar time uncomfortably in the spotlight after the discoveries released documents include damning reports on their activities during the G20. So far, the charges relate exclusively to international espionage for allegedly diplomatic meetings, as opposed to civilian oversight. Yet perhaps it is only a matter of time until a British whistleblower emerges to add to public outrage.

If you are concerned about your online security, a VPN service can help. The VPN functions as an additional security layer that sits between your personal data and any other person trying to access it.

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