Assange and Snowden: Have their efforts come to naught?

Assange and Snowden 'Surrendered their Freedom for Nothing' (Trouw, The Netherlands)

"If their leaks would have achieved anything, it would have been worth the price. That seems not to be the case. Assange has mainly ensured that coded messages within diplomatic traffic have more limited distribution and content, so his whole idea of more openness has been shattered. … Snowden and his NSA leaks have ensured that, here too, security has been tightened and fewer people have access to secrets. … Given the reaction to Snowden and Assange, I expected to see violent protests against breaches of privacy and this type of government power. It looks like Assange and Snowden have surrendered their freedom for nothing."

By Rob de Wijk

Translated By Marion Pini

November 5, 2014

The Netherlands - Trouw - Original Article (Dutch)

How are our heroes Edward Snowden and Julian Assange? Not so good, I would think. Even if they've become world famous and have won their place in history, they have been deprived of the freedom they fought for.

Snowden remains in Russia, where he has been given temporary asylum. Venezuela wants to grant him entry, but with a revoked U.S. passport he won't get in. Assange is holed up at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and British authorities and won’t allow him to leave the country.

If their leaks would have achieved anything, it would have been worth the price. That seems not to be the case. Assange, known because of WikiLeaks, has mainly ensured that coded messages within diplomatic traffic have more limited distribution and content, so his whole idea of more openness has been shattered.

Snowden and his NSA leaks have ensured that, here too, security has been tightened and fewer people have access to secrets. New legislation, such as the possibility that the AIVD [General Intelligence and Security Service] might gather information via cable, has merely been shelved. Diplomatic relations between the United States and Germany have hit rock bottom - despite the same practices being pursued by both countries; and rogue states and terrorists adjusted their practices based on the information that has been revealed. Snowden’s actions have therefore done nothing to improve safety or transparency.

Snowden and Assange have certainly sparked a discussion about breaches of privacy and the power of governments. To my great surprise, however, there was absolutely no fuss recently when the Lower House agreed to link all kinds of files to detect potential fraudsters at public facilities.

In bureaucratic jargon, this is called "system risk assessment" - or SyRI. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (CBP) rejected the decision on fundamental grounds. And the Council of State wasn’t too happy, either. The CBP President Jacob Kohnstamm stated this measure puts everyone in the Netherlands under suspicion. Indeed, a "risk profile" can complied for every Dutch citizen making it possible to determine who is a potential fraudster and should be kept an eye on.

Posted By Worldmeets.US

That would be contrary to applicable privacy protection laws - and the rule of law in general, I should add. The responsible minister - Minister of Social Affiars Lodewijk Asscher - hastened to say that it isn’t all that bad. The files won’t be linked "just like that."

That may be the case, but if something is technically possible, it is very tempting to bureaucrats and politicians to push the boundaries anyway. Moreover, at this time of rising tensions it is naive to think that governments will respect your freedom and mine as insecurity builds.

Particularly after the occasionally hysterical public and political reactions to the revelations of Snowden and Assange, I expected to see violent protests against breaches of privacy and this type of government power. It looks like Assange and Snowden have surrendered their freedom for nothing.

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