Talk:Ethics Future XYZ6

Hero. Traitor. Whistle-Blower. Spy. What to Call NSA Leaker Ed Snowden?

http://abcnews.go.com/US/nsa-leaker-edward-snowden-whistle-blower/story?id=19374578#.Ubj8U-dOP0R The facts of the case: This case is about an intelligence analyst who leaked classified information about the US government’s involvement in spying on US citizens by collecting meta-data for phone, texts, and e-mail from Internet service providers. The data collection was sanctioned by a court order from a FISA court. The argument is whether the analyst is a whistle-blower or a traitor. My conclusion: It is hard to argue that Snowden is a whistle-blower once the definition is applied. While federal law broadly protects whistle-blowers, there is one exception. According to Professor Richard E. Moberly, associate dean of the University of Nebraska College of Law, that exception is for employees who have privileged access to the nation's secrets. Snowden squarely falls within the exception.

Future environment: This case has implications for those in the intelligence world and in the information technology realm. The lasting effect is that contractors who work for the government may be subject to stricter guidelines for their employees.

Future scenario: This case could impact the salaries of information technology employees who are privileged to the nation’s secrets. Higher salaries could ensure that people are held to a higher standard and be less likely to be the target of bribery.