Exploring PRISM’s Spectrum: Privacy in the Information Age

Abstract

In June 2013, Glenn Greenwald began sharing with the world excerpts from a cache of classified materials acquired by Edward Snowden, a systems administrator and contractor to the US intelligence community. Snowden fled from the reach of US authorities, eventually finding sanctuary in Russia. Since the initial release of information, Greenwald and others trusted by Snowden have published additional materials in newspapers around the world. The published documents and PowerPoint presentations revealed that the National Security Agency (NSA) of the United States was engaged in a wide range of global surveillance programs targeting telecommunications users around the world in its efforts to identify potential terrorist threats following the terrorist bombings of 9/11. Some of the materials implied that the United States received cooperation in its efforts from infrastructure providers, technology companies, and foreign governments.