14 DAY TRIAL // The upcoming edition of the SXSW Interactive Festival will be an interesting one. That’s because Edward Snowden, the man who needs no introduction, will speak at the event on Monday, March 10, 2014.
Of course, since SXSW takes place in Austin, Texas, there’s no way for Snowden to attend the event in person so he’ll speak via videoconference.
Snowden will discuss the impact of NSA spying with Christopher Soghoian, principal technologist at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). They will focus on the impact of the NSA’s surveillance programs on the technology community and possible technological measures that could be deployed to protect people against mass spying.
Director of the ACLU's Speech, Privacy & Technology Project, Ben Wizner, and Snowden’s legal advisor will be moderating the session. It’s worth noting that members of the audience will be allowed to ask questions.
Those who want to listen to what Snowden has to say, but can’t attend SXSW 2014, can access the free live stream made available by The Texas Tribune. After the event, a recording of the whistleblower’s talk will be made available via ACLU’s website.
Currently, Snowden is still in Russia under temporary asylum. He has asked Brazil to grant him asylum. However, experts doubt that the country will agree, even though over 1.1 million people have signed a petition in support of Snowden.