Tim Cook And Snowden Essay

The question of the relationship between privacy, security and individual freedom is one the oldest, and almost most continually controversial topics of contemporary discussion. Technology has now progressed to a such a degree whereby it is technically possible to gain access to almost all of a person 's personal information and to monitor almost their every move. The idea of national and personal security is often used as a justification for such monitoring as and when it occurs, even if such acts appear to compromize the very personal freedoms which they justify themselves by claiming to defend. This issue has most obviously come to the forefront of public consciousness with the case of Edward Snowden who 's, technically criminal, actions NSA surveillance and who has both lauded as a hero of privacy and personal freedom and denounced as a traitor to his country. While less …show more content…
Both figures acted in such a way as to either prevent or to expose the violation of the freedom of American citizens. Without such freedom then actions justified through the attempt to secure them are effectively self-perpetuating oxymorons. Finally, although both Cook and Snowden share obvious characteristics in terms of their character it is important to note that their actions differ. While Cook has essentially acted negatively in refusing the grant the FBI request, Snowden has become a positive criminal as a result of his actions. A non reflexive and naive condemnation of this fact, however, fails to take into account that the organization that Snowden opposed is effectively able to legislate its own actions, and, by doing so, to circumvent any legal responsibility for them. As such, while Snowden 's actions have made him a criminal, it is nonetheless clear that both and Cook were justified in seeking to prevent the exploitation of personal freedom for the sake of