Snowden's Shadow: AI, Surveillance, and the Enduring Fight for Liberty
- Johan Steyn
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
A decade after his revelations, the battle for digital privacy against government overreach is more critical than ever.
Audio summary: https://youtu.be/HQhjieZ8knY
As someone deeply invested in the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and its societal impact, I frequently write about various issues of interest that I believe warrant the reader’s attention. While my primary work is in AI and technology, I also cover areas around politics, education, and the future of our children, all of which are profoundly relevant to the pervasive themes of surveillance, privacy, and liberty explored in this article.
Edward Snowden’s 2013 disclosures ripped open the curtain on an unprecedented National Security Agency surveillance apparatus, revealing the shocking extent to which governments could collect citizens’ communications at scale. It triggered a global awakening to the fragility of privacy in our increasingly digital lives. More than a decade on, the core tension has not dissipated; indeed, it has been dramatically amplified by the relentless march of artificial intelligence, which now supercharges the very mechanisms Snowden warned us about.
CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND
Snowden’s revelations exposed a vast, indiscriminate data collection programme, sparking outrage and calls for reform worldwide. While these disclosures led to some legislative changes, such as the USA Freedom Act, and a global re-evaluation of digital rights, core surveillance authorities have largely persisted and even expanded.
The controversial FISA Section 702, for instance, which permits the collection of foreign intelligence but often incidentally sweeps in American citizens’ data, saw its renewal in 2024, again without a warrant requirement for many searches involving domestic information.
This means that the legacy surveillance powers that existed pre-Snowden now operate in conjunction with powerful AI systems, creating a far more intrusive landscape than previously imagined.
INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS
The evolution from bulk metadata collection to AI-powered behavioural prediction and real-time population monitoring is a profound shift. Governments, both democratic and authoritarian, can now leverage AI to analyse and merge vast datasets from phone records, online activity, biometric identifiers, CCTV feeds, and social media footprints to construct incredibly detailed profiles of individuals. This capability allows for tracking activists, journalists, and ordinary people with a precision unimaginable in 2013.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has sounded an urgent alarm, advocating for a moratorium on AI systems that pose serious risks to human rights, including those used for profiling and predictive policing. This is not merely a theoretical concern; Amnesty International reports indicate that AI tools are already being used to surveil pro-Palestinian protesters in the US and to flag individuals for social benefits fraud investigations in Denmark, raising serious human rights concerns. It is clear that the fight for privacy is far from over, and indeed, it has entered a new, more complex phase where AI can dismantle the human right to privacy.
IMPLICATIONS
The implications for our liberties, our country, and especially our children, are stark. The unchecked proliferation of AI surveillance technologies risks creating a society where privacy is an illusion and dissent is stifled by the omnipresent digital eye. This personally concerns me as a technologist and a parent; we must ensure that the technological advancements we embrace do not inadvertently erode the foundational freedoms upon which our society is built.
While progress is being made, such as the EU AI Act banning “unacceptable-risk” systems like live facial recognition in public spaces, the global regulatory landscape remains fragmented. Many jurisdictions lack a unified ceiling on surveillance, and the rapid pace of AI development often outstrips legislative efforts. Protecting liberties in this AI era demands more than just technical safeguards; it requires unwavering political resolve to close national-security loopholes and enforce transparent, accountable, and judicially overseen AI surveillance.
CLOSING TAKEAWAY
A decade after Edward Snowden’s courageous disclosures, the paradox is striking: his revelations shaped global human rights discourse around AI, yet governments now possess surveillance capabilities far exceeding what he exposed. The fight to protect our fundamental liberties in the face of ever-advancing AI surveillance is an ongoing, vital struggle that requires continuous vigilance and collective action to safeguard the future for ourselves and our children.
Author Bio: Johan Steyn is an AI and technology expert, author, and speaker, focusing on the ethical and practical implications of artificial intelligence in business and society. He is passionate about ensuring technology serves humanity. Find out more at https://www.aiforbusiness.net