Edward Snowden is a former contractor for the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) who gained international attention in 2013 after leaking highly classified information about global surveillance programs conducted by the NSA in collaboration with several other countries. Born on June 21, 1983, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Snowden’s disclosures revealed numerous global surveillance programs, many run by the NSA with the cooperation of telecommunication companies and European governments. This led to significant debates about privacy, security, and the public’s right to know. Snowden was charged with theft of government property and two counts of violating the Espionage Act of 1917, leading him to seek asylum in Russia where he currently resides.