Edward Snowden

Edward Joseph Snowden, the American intelligence contractor known for leaking classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA), was born on June 21, 1983 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, U.S.

On September 11, 2001, Edward Snowden fully supported the war after hearing about the attack. This event led to a shift in his views and relationships.

After attending a job fair in 2006 focused on intelligence agencies, Snowden accepted a position at the CIA's global communications division. He was later sent to the CIA's secret school for technology specialists in Langley, Virginia.

In March 2007, the CIA stationed Snowden in Geneva, Switzerland, with diplomatic cover. He was responsible for maintaining computer-network security at the U.S. Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Snowden was considered a top technical and cybersecurity expert in the country.

In 2010, Snowden had a brief stint in New Delhi, India, where he enrolled in a local IT institute to learn core Java programming and advanced ethical hacking.

In 2011, Snowden spent a year as lead technologist on Dell's CIA account, consulting with the agency's technical branches. He was consulted by the CIA's chief information officer and chief technology officer.

Three days after witnessing James Clapper lie under oath to Congress, Edward Snowden resigns from his position at Dell. He later takes a pay cut to work at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he plans to gather data and expose NSA's surveillance activities.

In May 2013, Edward Snowden fled the United States for Hong Kong, citing the city's commitment to free speech and political dissent. He stayed at the Mira Hotel, rarely leaving his room.

On May 20, 2013, Edward Snowden flew to Hong Kong, where he stayed when the initial articles based on the leaked NSA documents were published. This marked the beginning of the revelations about the global surveillance apparatus.

The American Civil Liberties Union created a searchable database containing NSA documents leaked by Edward Snowden. The archive covers the period between June 5, 2013, and May 6, 2014.

On June 6, 2013, Edward Snowden revealed that the U.S. government was conducting widespread surveillance on its citizens, sparking a debate on privacy and national security. Snowden leaked classified documents to The Guardian and The Washington Post, exposing government surveillance programs like Prism.

In June 2013, Edward Snowden, an American intelligence contractor, disclosed the existence of secret wide-ranging information-gathering programs conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA). This revelation sparked debates on government power, privacy in the digital age, and the ethics of whistleblowing.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Snowden discloses that US intelligence agencies have been conducting network hacking worldwide for an extended period.

On June 14, 2013, the United States charged Edward Snowden with espionage after he leaked classified information about NSA surveillance programs. This event marked a turning point in the case, leading to international attention and debates on government transparency and surveillance.

During an online chat, Snowden claims that U.S. authorities are conducting surveillance on phone calls, emails, and other communications beyond legal limits.

On June 21, 2013, the United States Department of Justice unsealed charges against Edward Snowden of violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and theft of government property, leading to the revocation of his passport.

Officials revoked Edward Snowden's U.S. passport, leaving him stranded in Russia.

On June 23, 2013, Edward Snowden leaves Hong Kong for Moscow as extradition pressure builds, seeking asylum in various countries and causing diplomatic tensions between the US, Russia, and other nations.

The U.S. State Department accused the Hong Kong government of deliberately releasing Edward Snowden, despite a valid arrest warrant and technical noncompliance explanations.

Classified leaks by Snowden reveal NSA bugging of European Union offices in Washington and New York, as well as an EU building in Brussels.

On July 1, 2013, Russia's state-run RIA Novosti news agency reports that Edward Snowden has requested asylum.

On July 12, 2013, Edward Snowden meets with human rights activists and lawyers, confirming his request for asylum from Russia while waiting for safe passage to Latin America.

On July 16, 2013, Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena announces that Edward Snowden has applied for temporary asylum in Russia, which would allow him to live in the country for at least a year if granted.

On July 24, 2013, Russian news media reports that Russia has approved the necessary documents for Edward Snowden to move freely within the country while his temporary asylum request is being reviewed.

On August 1, 2013, Edward Snowden leaves the airport and enters Russian territory after applying for temporary asylum, leading to further strained relations between the US and Russia.

On November 3, 2013, a letter allegedly written by Edward Snowden is published in the German magazine Der Spiegel, titled 'A Manifesto for the Truth,' highlighting the global issue of mass surveillance.

Attorney General Eric Holder expresses willingness to engage with Edward Snowden's lawyers if he returns to the U.S. Snowden, in an online chat, mentions the impossibility of returning due to current whistleblower protection laws.

A book published on May 13, 2014, unveiled 107 more pages from the Snowden archive. This release coincided with the launch of Glenn Greenwald's book 'No Place to Hide'.

In August 2014, Edward Snowden was granted a three-year residence permit by the Russian government as his temporary asylum expired. This permit allowed him to leave the country for up to three months.

On September 15, 2014, Snowden appeared via remote video link at Kim Dotcom's Moment of Truth town hall meeting in Auckland, where he discussed various issues related to government surveillance and privacy.

On June 14, 2015, the London Sunday Times reported that Russian and Chinese intelligence services had decrypted more than 1 million classified files in the Snowden cache. This forced the UK's MI6 intelligence agency to move agents out of live operations in hostile countries.

On November 10, 2015, Snowden appeared via remote video link at PEN American Center's event 'Secret Sources: Whistleblowers, National Security and Free Expression'. He discussed important issues related to whistleblowers and free expression.

On March 19, 2016, Edward Snowden delivered the opening keynote address at the LibrePlanet conference, a gathering of international free software activists and developers organized by the Free Software Foundation. The conference took place at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and marked the first time Snowden spoke via teleconference using a full free software stack.

On March 19, 2016, Edward Snowden called in to the MIT Stata Center to speak with Daniel Kahn Gillmor and an auditorium filled with people. Snowden expressed gratitude towards the community for creating free software and delivered a talk on 'The last lighthouse: Free software in dark times', discussing topics like free software, surveillance, power, and control of the future.

On July 21, 2016, Edward Snowden and hardware hacker Bunnie Huang presented research for the Introspection Engine, a smartphone case designed to monitor signals sent and received by a phone. The device would alert users if their phone was transmitting or receiving information when it shouldn't be, particularly useful for journalists or activists in hostile environments.

On September 15, 2016, the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) concluded that Edward Snowden was not a whistleblower as defined by the Whistleblower Protection Act.

In 2017, Edward Snowden's residence permit in Russia was extended, and he was granted permanent residency. This allowed him to stay in Russia indefinitely.

On November 2, 2018, Edward Snowden submitted a court declaration in the Jewel v. NSA case, confirming the authenticity of a document related to the mass surveillance program Stellar Wind. This declaration underscored Snowden's involvement in legal proceedings concerning government surveillance.

On September 17, 2019, the United States filed a civil lawsuit against Edward Snowden for alleged violations of non-disclosure agreements with the CIA and NSA related to the publication of his memoir Permanent Record.

In April 2021, Edward Snowden appeared at a Canadian investment conference sponsored by Sunil Tulsiani. During his speech, Snowden reaffirmed his whistleblower status, informed the audience about Tulsiani's background, and emphasized the importance of thorough research before making financial decisions.

On September 26, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin granted Edward Snowden Russian citizenship, making it impossible to extradite him to any country. This decision solidified Snowden's status in Russia.