Lawrence Lessig Interviews Edward Snowden

An American Hero :) GIVE THIS MAN A PRIZE!!!!

If people still question Snowden's motives, they should ask themselves the following question : What did he left behind by going public? The answer : his own security, his whole career, his country, his family, his friends, his reputation, basically, his whole life. Most of us wouldn't even have the courage to let one of these go in our own lives. In my opinion, he's more than a hero. He's someone who chose to put aside his own interests for the collective well-being of mankind. Whatever your opinion on him, and regardless of the consequences for the secret services, we all have to agree that it took guts to do what he did. If only 1 out of 1000 americans could be that honest and stand for what they believe in, the USA could regain its position has the most admired country in the world (instead of the most hated one). He stood for himself and all of us in order to denounce the abusive use of our collective power. Respect!

I feel honored to say that I am alive during a time for such heroes to go out of their way to expose and shed light on government, surveillance, and privacy.

Amazed that they trusted a Google product for this interview.

We need more people like Edward Snowdan - intelligent with a conscience.

So calm and impressively eloquent

Edward Snowden is a very intelligent man. He is very well spoken and really seams to have a grip on what his agenda is. I think our government is worried about what information he all has, but I don't think he would release any sensitive information. I believe he has the best interest of our country in mind otherwise he could have done real damage to the NSA, CIA, FBI, etc. I like how Obama calls him a 29 year old hacker when Edward is immensely more intelligent than Obama or most presidents are/were.

"If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing worry about." How about you uncle sam?

I thought he was just a nerd before. Now he has blown my mind by being an sophisticated elite yet with high conscience. 

Looking back at growing up , I am so grateful that my father told me and my siblings. "Right is right,wrong is wrong and the truth will stand when the world is on fire". Hundreds of times. And I'm grateful to have had a mother who taught us to hate lies and telling lies. I feel like I can understand a lot of what edward says. Knowing that deceit is what has caused this world so much needless pain and if humanity wants a better present or possible future it begins with awareness and truth. The continuation of deceit only produces the same results it always has. If nothing changes,nothing changes.

The thing that bugs me the most about NSA surveillance is that the public has no right to access that data to prove their own innocence when falsely accused. Think of the legal implications if you knew that you were in a particular location when a crime was committed and knew that if you could access NSA data to prove your location you'd be found innocent. Or if you could access recorded phone records to prove that someone had launched a credible threat against you and needed protection... the list goes on. The point is the NSA data collection scheme has yet to demonstrate public usefulness of the data OR they are lying about just how useful it is to them. I don't think the government should have the capability of using data to attack individuals unless it also gives them the right to defend themselves with unredacted access to data that may prove your innocence. Problem is there is no accountability on the part of the NSA to allow us to know if we are getting genuine data about us. They hide behind the excuse of national security but I think it goes way beyond that. With no accountability it's pretty much up to our imaginations as to what they do with that data and there is no disinterested body to verify the use and purposes of that data. No doubt large interests like the Rothschilds ownership of controlling interesting in 80 percent of the worlds largest corporations have access to this data if they want it. I find that troublesome.

amazing bright young man - actually thanks to him I understand how American government functions much more now, and I am blown away that I can learn that in just a few of his interviews and we were never taught this understanding in schools. Its almost as if our democracy failed - and low education of the people is now a guarantee of democracy.

He’s a very smart man and this is the type of man we need as leaders in this country

I made comments on here 3 years ago against snowden... I now realize i was completely wrong...snowden is awesome and is a courageous and heroic person...i won't take down the other comments so people can read them..but i was incorrect and setting the record straight

Just learning his story. I think we need more great ppl just like him.

Snowden mentions James Risen who writes amazing books. I'm grateful this young man blew his whistle.

Snowden gets more impressive - I wasn't positively impressed at all at first - but I'm starting to look at him like a hero - way different than when he first blip-ed my radar.

This man is why the most insidious parts of the Patriot Act were repealed. He is a true hero !

I don't understand why they don't embrace the brilliance of the people who challenge????? 

For those who can't hear this very well (as if he's talking in a cave or tunnel) - just after 19 minutes - this problem is fixed.  The sound is levelled and all is well with the interview.