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Newsmax reports that according to according to KRC Research about 64 percent of Americans familiar with Snowden hold a negative opinion of him. However 56 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 have a positive opinion of Snowden which contrasts sharply with older age cohorts. Among those aged 35-44, some 34 percent have positive attitudes toward him. For the 45-54 age cohort, the figure is 28 percent, and it drops to 26 percent among Americans over age 55, U.S. News reported. Americans overall say by plurality that Snowden has done “more to hurt” U.S. national security (43 percent) than help it (20 percent). A similar breakdown was seen with views on whether Snowden helped or hurt efforts to combat terrorism, though the numbers flip on whether his actions will lead to greater privacy protections. “The broad support for Edward Snowden among Millennials around the world should be a message to democratic countries that change is coming,” says Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. “They are a generation of digital natives who don’t want government agencies tracking them online or collecting data about their phone calls.” Opinions of millennials are particularly significant in light of January 2015 findings by the U.S. Census Bureau that they are projected to surpass the baby-boom generation as the United States’ largest living generation this year.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Snow on Thursday April 23 2015, @04:54PM
Snowden was on John Olliver's show a few weeks ago, and they made a good point about how unless you have years of IT experience/training, you can't even comprehend what can be done with the data they are sucking up. People actually think that this is the only thing preventing another 9/11 type attack.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Thursday April 23 2015, @06:28PM
I think the older generation understand more than you do.
Its not about the tools used. Its about the citizen's total loss of control of our government. There exists no checks and balances. Its become a fiction, lost to a free-floating concept of what the constitution actually says.
It started with the Seventeenth Amendment, which essentially stripped the states of their last vestige of power over the republic, destroying federalism. But it continues today with every little issue gets pushed up to the federal level, end running local or state control.
Its not about computers.
Snowden is a patriot. He saw what they were doing. Others saw it too, and went along to get along.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by Anal Pumpernickel on Friday April 24 2015, @03:36AM
Maybe it's not just about computers, but most people (old or young) don't know why this so-called "metadata" matters or understand how it can be and is used for oppression.
Honestly, even to the supposedly 'tech-savvy' younger generation, computers are largely black boxes. Sure, they can get on Facebook and use some Microsoft word processor garbage that they likely learned how to use in a Microsoft Essentials high school course, but they don't understand any of it, and what's happening in the background is completely alien to most of them.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 24 2015, @03:44AM
Pardon my ignorance, but how did an amendment dealing with the election of senators do that?
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 24 2015, @04:23PM
Senators were elected by State legislatures prior to the 17th Amendment. This was a counterbalance to the House, whose members were elected by the people at large.
If the people at large voted for "free" crap that the federal government would try to push down as an unfunded mandate that the States would have to cover, the State legislature could push back by electing Senators to counter legislation coming from the House.
In short, government moved slower prior to the 17th Amendment, and it was a very good thing.
(Score: 2) by tathra on Friday April 24 2015, @03:40AM
Protip - The NSA has your dick-pics. this is what their dragnet allows. say no to governmental hoarding of dick-pics, repeal the Patriot Act!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 24 2015, @07:47AM
Most people are not capable of deciding what is good for them and what is not. They are ignorant. Which is why they all must listen to the experts and follow their advice. "Older" generations are no better than "younger" generations and vice versa. As said here before, younger ones are more aware of technology, which brings them just a little bit closer to be able to decide for themselves on technology issues.
Similarly politicians cannot be allowed to decide for anyone because they are not experts in any field; they are only experts at getting elected. Being able to get elected does not mean being able to rule. Getting elected does not imply they know (and will follow through on) what is good for the people and the world.
The layman cannot tell "Snowden" from "Netanyahu", so why ask him for his "opinion"? He has no control whatsoever over anything anyway. Anyone capable and willing to challenge the system will disapper and never be heard from again. That's how bad it is.