If that's their positive contribution to the world, then consider me unimpressed.
I abhor the notion that it's acceptable to hack the private communications of a political opponent, and publish them wholesale. I hate that people have decided it's somehow normal (or worse, noble) to engage in such chicanery because it was politically expedient. It's entirely different than other forms of leaks.
Wholesale surveillance is a terrible idea no matter who is doing it.
It's really effective propaganda, because most folks aren't clever enough to realize that the lack of countervailing scandal is solely because the other party didn't do any hacking... but it's a terrible precedent, and anybody who participated in it should be deeply ashamed of themselves.
Anybody who praises it should borrow a moral compass.
Ashamed? Snowden illegally obtained his information and leaked it to the public. Are you ashamed that you now know about the NSA's surveillance?
edit: Once the information is out there, it's out there. You should not dismiss illegal or unethical activity because of the way in which that information was obtained.
Personal property rights and personal freedom are critical to freedom; and anybody who argues otherwise should be deeply ashamed of themselves. Even (perhaps especially) when they're talking about the rights of those who disagree with them politically.
It's Thanksgiving, and today I give thanks that not everybody wants to shit on freedom and liberty the way you do, just because it makes campaigning simpler.
As for your silly argument about Snowden, he didn't engage in wholesale surveillance; the NSA's wholesale surveillance was public knowledge before his leak; and his leak was meant to change policy, not to attack a political opponent. As such, absolutely none of my criticisms apply to him.
Using HN primarily as a place to do political battle is an abuse of this site. Since your account(s) do that and you've ignored our requests not to, we've banned this one. Please stop creating accounts to break the HN guidelines with.
I abhor the notion that it's acceptable to hack the private communications of a political opponent, and publish them wholesale. I hate that people have decided it's somehow normal (or worse, noble) to engage in such chicanery because it was politically expedient. It's entirely different than other forms of leaks.
Wholesale surveillance is a terrible idea no matter who is doing it.
It's really effective propaganda, because most folks aren't clever enough to realize that the lack of countervailing scandal is solely because the other party didn't do any hacking... but it's a terrible precedent, and anybody who participated in it should be deeply ashamed of themselves.
Anybody who praises it should borrow a moral compass.