Edward Snowden: 11 years since the NSA surveillance leaks

Eleven years after Edward Snowden leaked thousands of classified documents from the National Security Agency (NSA) and the CIA, discussions continue regarding the impact of global surveillance systems on privacy.

Snowden, a former intelligence analyst, revealed that US intelligence agencies and their allies engaged in secret global surveillance, accessing emails, chats, phone calls, and cloud documents. The leaks exposed various collection methods, including tapping fiber optic cables, monitoring satellite communications, and utilizing computer attacks.

A central component of these revelations was the XKeyscore system, which allowed for searches of private information, and the PRISM program, which involved major internet companies such as Google, Facebook, Apple, YouTube, and Microsoft.