Espionage Activities Opposed By Majority Of Americans and Europeans

Espionage Activities Opposed By Majority Of Americans and Europeans

A recent survey revealed that a number of Americans and Europeans are against the espionage activities of their government against their citizens and citizens of its allies. This showed an increasing concern on the spying activities revealed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

Protests resulted from the revelation that internet information and private phones were subjection to surveillance by the government. Around seventy percent of German citizens indicated that there was no justification in the collection of internet and phone information from German citizens to ensure national security. A German Marshall Fund survey made this revelation. Only twenty-five percent of the respondents in Germany disagreed.

The survey also showed that seventy-two percent of Germans opposed the collection similar information from citizens of allied countries. Only twenty percent were in favor of these espionage activities. The survey included around 1,000 respondents in every country that was polled last September.

The survey was conducted prior to the allegations that phone conversations of some world leaders were being monitored by the United States. The US ambassador was summoned by Germany following suspicions that the phone of Chancellor Angela Merkel was monitored.

The British ambassador was also called by the German government following revelations that the office of Merkel was subjected to espionage activities by the surveillance agency of Britain. Around 54 percent of US respondents were opposed to the spying activities of the government on Americans. However, only 44 percent opposed these activities on citizens of allied countries while 33 percent indicated that it was justified.

Around 44 percent of British respondents indicated that spying activities on British citizens by the government was not justified while 33 percent agreed to these activities. On the other hand 43 percent of respondents in Britain opposed espionage activities on citizens of allied countries while 30 percent agreed to these activities.

Posted by James Fried on Tuesday November 12 2013, 8:25 AM EST. Ref: Reuters. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0