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Bill Gates: Snowden is no hero

Microsoft was one of the big tech companies named in the Snowden files as cooperating with the government in handing over user data to the NSA.

By Aileen Graef

Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates said in an interview with Rolling Stone that he does not think NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden is a hero and he has done more harm than good.

"I think he broke the law, so I certainly wouldn't characterize him as a hero." Gates told the magazine, "If he wanted to raise the issues and stay in the country and engage in civil disobedience or something of that kind, or if he had been careful in terms of what he had released, then it would fit more of the model of 'OK, I'm really trying to improve things.' You won't find much admiration from me."

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The sentiment from the tech billionaire may be due to the fact that Microsoft was pointed out in the documents released by Snowden as having not only cooperated with the government, but as one of the first to hand over user data. This was particularly damaging when Snowden disclosed the PRISM data collection program through the Washington Post and the Guardian newspapers.

There have been no substantiated claims of damage to national security due to the release of the documents and Snowden has said that he has been very carefully vetting the documents before releasing them to responsible journalists.

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[HuffPost Live] [Rolling Stone]

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