Question

ETHICS Edward Snowden was a contractor at the National Security Agency (NSA) who publicly released a huge number of highly classified documents. From these files, the world learned for the first time that the NSA had been collecting vast amounts of information about the email, mail, and telephone usage of millions of people, many of the American citizens. In releasing this data, Snowden had embarrassed U.S. officials and possibly damaged spy operations. However, the NSA’s own auditor found that the NSA had exceeded its authority. Two federal judges ruled that the NSA had violated the Constitution. Because Snowden broke the law, he was not protected by the whistleblower statutes. He sought asylum overseas because if he returned to the United States, he faced life in prison. Should he be offered amnesty? A reduced sentence? How important is it to encourage whistleblowing?

Answer 1

Safeguarding company’s data and confidential information is the duty of each and every employee associated with that company. If a person, without any moral and legal reason, releases this important data has to be sued and strict actions should be taken against him.

 

As the case scenario depicts, one of the contractor of the National Security Agency (NSA) has released classified data NSA. This has embarrassed the U.S. officials and damaged the spy operations. Two federal judges found NSA guilty for violating constitution, based on those data. Though the contractor’s act revealed the illegal activity by the NSA, it is found that the contractor violated the whistleblower statute as he has not filed any complaint against NSA with the authority but simply released the data in public.

 

In the given scenario, as it is understood that the act of the contractor violated whistleblowing statute, he should be prisoned for leaking company’s confidential data. Though, whistleblowing should be supported, one should always adhere to the statute of whistleblowing as it can often bring a negative impact on the society along with the positives it has. The contractor should have taken proper path to reveal these data rather than simply making them public. Hence amnesty is not a solution here, as the contractor must be punished for his wrong action. As long as reduced sentence is concerned, it can be offered to the contractor as based on his data itself the NSA was found guilty. A balanced approach of a reduced sentence rather than amnesty will encourage people in the act of whistleblowing, but following a standard statute.