Former defense contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden has praised a group of Chinese programmers for creating an ecosystem of apps and protocols to combat internet censorship.
What Happened: On Wednesday, Snowden took to X (formerly Twitter ) and expressed admiration for the Chinese programmers who, in defiance of the “Great Firewall” of China, have developed a new set of applications and protocols.
Snowden said that these tools are designed to protect against the manipulation of internet traffic, a significant issue faced by netizens in China.
The “Great Firewall,” as it is popularly referred to in the West, is a system of tools and regulations employed by the Chinese government to control and censor internet content within China.
Snowden’s post implies that such censorship measures may soon become a global concern.
Why It Matters: Snowden, a former U.S. National Security Agency consultant, is known for leaking classified information in 2013 which revealed global surveillance programs.
He previously sought refuge in Hong Kong before moving to Russia. The former defense contractor has been a vocal critic of governmental control and censorship over the internet.
The implications of Snowden’s post are noteworthy, considering his past, revealing government surveillance programs and subsequent asylum-seeking in countries like Hong Kong.
Image credits: Libreplanet 2016 on Wikimedia Commons
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