By reading the Edward Snowden interview from Alan Rusbridger and Ewen MacAskill as well as watching the short video clip, I gained a lot of information about the privacy issues that people may face.

For the video, How is this Possible, it showed what may happen in real life. Certain people can search any information just like using a google, no matter the information is public or private. Information from all ordinary people and all different platforms can be achieved easily, and that’s creepy.

Back to the reading, Snowden wanted the revelations to be published as fast as possible and the things to get out in the best way. It mainly discussed the topic of privacy, and if people’s privacy had been violated, the liberties would be affected as well. “Because of the advance of technology, storage becomes cheaper and cheaper year after year and when our ability to store data outpaces the expense of creating that data, we end up with things that are no longer held for short-term periods, they’re held for long-term periods and then they’re held for a longer term period.” The quote explained that due to the development of technology, data can be easily stored for more than five years, and it might be increasingly becoming permanent records.

Also, the article mainly argued that the institution is so powerful which can grant itself new authorities without the involvement of the country and the public. In other words, agencies can direct access to different systems to read any communications. The example of ordinary people’s daily conversation, private images, and even naked photo would be seen by these agencies, and that really impressed me. Every activity on the internet, no matter private transaction or communication, no longer belonged to yourself, and “you’ve been made electronically naked as you go about your activities on the internet.” That’s what we need to think about, a way to improve and change this shocking situation.