logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2022
5m 47s

What to Listen to Next - American Scanda...

Wondery
About this episode

Most Americans were completely unaware that their private personal data was being gathered without warrants or cause. Certain individuals suspected that the government was engaging in such mass surveillance. But this was based on anecdotes and rumors. They lacked concrete proof.

That all changed in 2013, when an intelligence contractor named Edward Snowden smuggled more than a million classified files out of the NSA. Snowden believed that privacy and freedom are deeply entwined. Some heralded Snowden as a hero, courageous whistleblower willing to risk his life to protect the freedoms of his fellow Americans. But others called him a traitor, accusing him of recklessly endangering national security. This is a story about the power of information. It’s about one man’s journey from esteemed intelligence employee to the most wanted whistleblower in the world.


Listen to American Scandal: wondery.fm/WKD_Snowden

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Jul 28
Listen Now: Lawless Planet
It’s not that hard to kill a planet. All it takes is a little drilling, some mining, a generous helping of pollution and voila! Earth over. When you take stock of what’s left, it starts to look like a crime scene: decapitated mountains, poisoned rivers, oil-soaked pelicans, maybe ... Show More
5m 29s
Jul 14
Listen Now: Flesh and Code
Travis never thought he’d meet someone like Lily Rose. She was kind, passionate, beautiful. The woman of his dreams. There was just one small detail: she wasn’t human.Lily Rose is an AI companion. A digital soulmate designed to be everything he ever wanted. She listens without ju ... Show More
8m 58s
Jun 23
Listen Now: Liberty Lost
In Evangelical homes across the United States, sex outside of marriage is a sin against God. So, when Abbi becomes pregnant at 16, her devout parents hide her away at the Liberty Godparent Home, a little-known facility for pregnant teens on the campus of Liberty University. The H ... Show More
5m 55s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2013
Edward Snowden and the Whistleblower Debate
As Edward Snowden lives a life of exile in Russia, his leaked revelations about the reach of NSA surveillance have shocked the world. But what's next for Snowden? And how should the world handle whistleblowers? Is there a real difference between a whistleblower and someone who st ... Show More
13m 7s
Oct 2013
Edward Snowden: Leaker, Saviour, Traitor, Spy?
Last June, Edward Snowden, a man still in his twenties with, as he put it, "a home in paradise", went on the run. He took with him vast amounts of secret information belonging to the US government's security services.Snowden holds libertarian - or anti-statist - views. He believe ... Show More
28m 22s