As they all show, there are many admirers in big technology companies Edward Snowden. Definitely however Bill Gates is not one of them.
In an interview she gave to the magazine Rolling Stone, the co-founder of Microsoft and the richest man in the world, did not cheer when he was asked what he thought about Snowden: Hero or traitor?
"I think he broke the law, so I certainly wouldn't call him a hero," Gates said. "If he raised these issues in his own country and engaged in acts of political disobedience or something, or if he was more careful about what he released, then he would fit the model of 'Okay, I'm really trying to improve things.' I won't tell you that I admire him. "
Gates said there should be "a discussion" about government espionage, but hinted that some aspects of government surveillance are better kept secret. Microsoft, of course, has been heavily involved in the spy scandal since its first publications mentioned its collaboration with the NSA.
Last July, the Guardian reported that Microsoft had helped both the NSA and the FBI by giving them access to its users' data, such as video and audio from Skype conversations and more. A Der Spiegel publication in December reported that the NSA is using fake error messages of Windows for the unsuspecting to send them information users.
Of course, let's also remember that Microsoft was the first company technology who began working with the NSA in program PRISM.
After all these events, if we expected to hear a different statement from Mr. Gates, we probably live on another planet.
