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Spying and Surveillance: The Snowden Files

Anne McElvoy discusses surveillance and spying with Luke Harding, Sir David Omand, Annette Dittert and Alain de Botton.

Last year The Guardian ran a series of scoops about the extent of mass surveillance by the security services here and in the USA. Anne McElvoy talks to the journalist Luke Harding about the inside story on the whistle-blower Edward Snowden and what motivated him to commit one of the biggest intelligence leaks in history. The former director of GCHQ, Sir David Omand, fears the leaks have done untold damage and endangered state security. Claims that America hacked the phone of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel caused uproar in Germany, and the journalist Annette Dittert argues that the memory of the Stasi's spying machine is still raw. There has been little outcry among the British public and the philosopher Alain de Botton explores the nature of news and the 'noise' it generates.
Producer: Katy Hickman.

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43 minutes

Last on

Mon 3 Feb 2014 21:30

Luke Harding

Luke Harding is a foreign correspondent with The Guardian.

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The Snowden Files: The Inside Story of the World’s Most Wanted Man is published by Guardian Faber.

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Sir David Omand

Sir David Omand is a Visiting Professor in the War Studies Department of King's College London and a former director of GCHQ.

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He is taking part in the debate ‘What Have You Got to Hide?’ at the LSE on Wednesday 5 February.

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Annette Dittert

Annette Dittert is Bureau Chief and correspondent at German TV ARD in London.

Alain de Botton

Alain de Botton is a philosopher.

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The News: A User’s Manual is published by Hamish Hamilton.

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Anne McElvoy
Interviewed Guest Luke Harding
Interviewed Guest David Omand
Interviewed Guest Annette Dittert
Interviewed Guest Alain de Botton
Producer Katy Hickman

Broadcasts

  • Mon 3 Feb 2014 09:00
  • Mon 3 Feb 2014 21:30

Podcast