NSA spy scandal recap: Snowden disappears; Europe unhappy with surveillance; Tech companies push back

The recent exposure of the US National Security Agency’s (NSA) previously secret electronic surveillance program, PRISM, has triggered a glut of news stories around the globe over the last couple of weeks.

The following is a quick guide to the most salient stories that emerged over the last week.

1. Leaker Snowden goes missing in Hong Kong

After revealing his identity on Sunday 9 June and checking out of his Hong Kong hotel the next day, former CIA employee Edward Snowden was nowhere to be found for the next couple of days.

A senior Hong Kong politician had, on Monday 10, reportedly asked Snowden to leave the city.

Given the magnitude of the revelations about the US Snowden had just made, and discussions of his possible extradition to the States, reporters began to speculate as to where he could have gone.

But the conjecture was ultimately for nothing, as we later found out.

2. Europe raises its eyebrows

It seems European leaders are not too happy with the idea of the US having the surveillance powers Snowden has claimed.

Some German officials indicated they were unhappy that American citizens appeared to have greater protections from the surveillance system than German citizens.

“I cannot be happy that US citizens might be protected in an appropriate way - I’m not sure if they are - but we are not,” said German Federal Data Protection Commissioner Peter Schaar.

Also, soon after the initial news of PRISM’s existence broke, German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly indicated she would discuss the system with US President Obama when they met the following week.

3. Tech companies push back

Also last week, some of the tech companies rumoured to be involved with PRISM publicly urged the US government to provide more transparency on their relationships.

Google, for one, published an open letter to the US Attorney General and the Director of the FBI, asking that it be allowed to reveal aggregate numbers of national security requests, including FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) disclosures.

Evidently, Google is concerned that people might believe that the company gives the US government unlimited access to Google users’ data.

“Assertions in the press that our compliance with these requests gives the US government unfettered access to our users’ data are simply untrue. However, government nondisclosure obligations regarding the number of FISA national security requests that Google receives, as well as the number of accounts covered by those requests, fuel that speculation,” David Drummond, Google’s Chief Legal Officer, wrote in the letter.

“We therefore ask you to help make it possible for Google to publish in our Transparency Report aggregate numbers of national security requests, including FISA disclosures - in terms of both the number we receive and their scope. Google’s numbers would clearly show that our compliance with these requests falls far short of the claims being made. Google has nothing to hide,” he continued.

Microsoft and Facebook issued similar statements.

4. Snowden reappears - still in Hong Kong

Later in the week, leaker Snowden reappeared - still in Hong Kong - saying he wants Hong Kong to decide his fate.

“I am not here to hide from justice; I am here to reveal criminality,” he told the South China Morning Post.

“My intention is to ask the courts and people of Hong Kong to decide my fate,” he said.

The paper said Snowden is in a secret location and plans to remain in Hong Kong until asked to leave. (Evidently he missed the comments in the International Business Times, above).

However, Kevin Egan, a lawyer with experience in extradition cases in Hong Kong, said Snowden should flee the city.

“If I was him, I’d be getting out of here and heading to a sympathetic jurisdiction as fast as possible and certainly before the United States issues a request for his extradition,” Egan said.

“The attitude of the judiciary here seems to be if Uncle Sam wants you, Uncle Sam will get you.”