Shouting '9/11' in a Crowded Internet

[Commentary] When National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden first revealed himself in a video interview in June 2013 as the source of leaked documents exposing the NSA's collection of phone and data records of US citizens, he noted: "The greatest fear that I have regarding the outcome for America of these disclosures is that nothing will change." Despite the rapid pace of the NSA revelations, the subsequent claims and counterclaims of US officials (and the fact that nobody possesses the policy, technical, operational, and legal background required to accurately characterize these stories and place them within a proper historical and global context), there's still one thing that can no longer be denied: The Edward Snowden-supplied documents have instigated a global conversation about US surveillance that will undoubtedly result in changes to the scope and conduct of certain NSA programs. And, in fact, it's happening already.