Government Snow Day

In 2013, Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the National Security Agency, shocked the world by publicizing dozens of classified documents containing information about the operations of surveillance programs, both nationally and abroad. In revealing these egregious misuses of power, Snowden has said that he was doing so for the public good. A long time computer security analyst and high level technologist, he had worked for many government agencies. However some of the information he gained there he found to be troubling, and he quit his work in 2013. He felt that it was the public’s right to know how their information was being used. Considering all the risks and responsibilities, he decided to release the papers to the press. Many have debated over Snowden’s motives, if what he did was right or constitutional. Yet for Snowden, the only outcome he feared from releasing the documents was “if nothing changes“.

Though Snowden was the one who took on the task of gathering and sorting this large amount of information, he did not work alone when seeking to publicize it. Glenn Greenwald, a reporter on national security for The Guardian, was one of the people whom Snowden contacted. Though initially hesitant, Greenwald agreed to meet with Snowden and help him to publish the confidential files. The ethics and morals of the whole situation seem to weave in and out of various grey areas, however, looking at several codes of journalistic conduct, in many ways, Greenwald seems to have been acting in accordance to these guidelines, even when taking part in such a controversial, watershed and history-making story.

CBC Interview

Among the websites for the SPJ, RTDNA, and PRSA, upholding the truth is central to the pursuit of news and journalism. RTDNA is quoted as saying “facts should get in the way of a good story“. By publishing truthful information with accuracy, it’s in the best interest of the public good. Says one of the core tenants of journalism: access to unparalleled levels of truth and information can allow people to decided for themselves.

Being a beacon of public good also means reporting on unethical practices without fear of reckoning, even if they are in the media or the government itself. By spotlighting areas of corruption and injustice, people can take action and great change can be made. Like The Washington Post says, “Democracy Dies in Darkness”

Another way Greenwald adheres to this code, is minimizing harm. While many NSA officials say these papers should not have been published at all, Greenwald still took great care when handling such sensitive information. He said that he’d looked over thousands and thousands of documents given to him by Snowden, of which, only a handful were published. He says in the CBC interview that he, and the others he would consult with, made sure that nothing they published would cause significant harm or endanger the nation in unneeded ways. He was scrupulous and selfless, making sure everything they put forth was truly of public interest.

Finally, Greenwald also protected his source. When Snowden first contacted Greenwald he asked to remain anonymous, so much so that he asked Greenwald to install an encryption software on his computer so that their messages would be secure. Greenwald accepted these precautions, yet he also asked Snowden to verify or give him some sort of tangible evidence that he was real, before he traveled around the world to meet him in Hong Kong. Along the course of this odyssey, Greenwald was always assuring his source’s anonymity, and confirming the accuracy of the information he was being given.

The events leading up to and after the Snowden case leave lots of room for discussion. Something like this really puts the media ethics codes to the test, as ways of navigating uncertain terrain while upholding the highest levels of professionalism and integrity. The media, above all, seeks to serve the people, and provide them a valuable service: protecting liberties and being ever vigilant towards wrongdoing. For his reporting on and discernment of such secure information, The Guardian and The Washington Post were awarded the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Reading through the list of winners since the award first was given out in 1917 is quite fascinating. Among them include the New York Times for their coverage of The Pentagon Papers, The Washington Post for investigating the Watergate case, and The St. Louis Post-Dispatch for its coverage of the Centralia, Illinois mining disaster. It’s interesting to note how many of these stories follow with an epilog, telling how their reports led to laws being changed, legislature being enacted, and change being made, as it says, for the public good.

Michaela