Permanent Record. Edward Snowden. 2019, 339 pages.

This autobiography by the exiled American whistleblower exposing the nefarious schemes of the intelligence agencies of the U.S. government to collect and store information about almost everyone on earth is a real eye opener. He comes across as a conscientious, intelligent, and principled IT guru who is not afraid to reveal his own flaws and limitations. I admire his courage, candour, and honesty. With that sentiment now floating in cyberspace, I wonder if the U.S. National Intelligence Service and the CIA may open a ‘permanent record’ on me, if they have not already do so. His revelations make it clear that they are capable of obtaining information on almost everything I have done, every country I have visited (China and Qatar might pique their interest), every purchase I have made using a credit card, any of my postings on social media, and any phone conversation I have been in on in the digital age. Perhaps I flatter myself to think they would be interested in my existence and my nonconformist amateurish thoughts, but there is no doubt that they could collect all of that information if they wanted to.

Snowden began his career in computer technology at a young age, disdaining traditional education and progressing through the ranks of intelligence services to become privy to the nation’s top security files. At least initially a patriot, he tried out for the army Special Services, only to fail when he broke both legs in training. With various companies with contracts to the CIA and the NAC, he was instrumental in developing some of the capabilities that those organizations later abused to unconstitutionally spy on innocent Americans and invade the privacy of anyone they chose to check out with or without any reason or warrant. But as his disillusion mounted, and his mental health deteriorated, he used his extensive computer expertise to copy top secret files and fled to Hong Kong without notifying his girlfriend or family. The tense eventual meeting with journalists there lead to headlines around the world about the illegal, alarming extensive spying on innocent people everywhere.

After an agonizing decision to self-identify as the source for the journalists, he sought political asylum, hoping to reach Quito, Equator via Moscow, Havana, and Caracas, but was detained in Moscow (his American passport was canceled while he was in the air) where he has remained as a political exile since 2013.

His long time girlfriend, a photographic artist, must be a saint. She stuck with him throughout his career, never knowing what he did for a living, tolerating his frequent mysterious absences on unexplained missions. Excerpts from her diary, included in the book, highlight the torment she underwent with the extensive tracking of her every move for months and many hours of psychologically damaging interrogation by the F.B.I. after he was identified as the whistleblower. Somehow she got to Moscow and married Snowden four years ago. A true love story.

There have been positive developments attributable almost entirely to Snowden’s revelations. In 2015, the United States passed the USA Freedom Act to rein in some of the worst abuses allowed by the earlier Patriot Act and in 2016 the European Union passed the General Data Protection Regulation that has had a ripple effect around the world.

Snowden is presently President of the Board of Directors of the Freedom of the Press Foundation but ironically is still provided no personal freedom and is regarded as a criminal traitor by the U.S. government and security apparatus.

In places the story reads like a modern spy mystery novel. It proceeds logically, and is generally easy to follow although some of the details of computer science was lost on me.

A couple of good quotes:

“Technology doesn’t have a Hippocratic oath.”

“Nothing is harder than living with a secret that can’t be shared.”

If you value your freedom and privacy, and don’t want to leave their protection to others, this should be on your list of must-reads.

Thanks,

Book Bub