WASHINGTON, January 6 (Sputnik) — Mass government surveillance is eroding perceptions of the United States as a beacon of freedom of expression and leading to self-censorship among writers, according to a survey carried out by the PEN American Center.
“The impact of mass surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA), other U.S. government authorities, and U.S. allies… is rippling outward to curtail freedom of expression around the world,” the US branch of Pen International, an organization that promotes and defends freedom of expression for writers, said in analysis of its survey on Monday.
The PEN American Center conducted a survey of 773 writers in 50 countries that revealed the “chilling” results of mass surveillance. The survey used the watchdog Freedom House's classification of freedom of expression, grouping countries into “Free,” Partly Free” and “Not Free” based on freedom of the press and democracy.
More than a third of respondents said freedom of expression in the United States was less than their own countries. The PEN American Center found that “mass surveillance has also gravely damaged the United States’ reputation as a haven for free expression at home, and a champion of free expression abroad.”
“Levels of concern about government surveillance in democratic countries are now nearly as high as in non-democratic states with long legacies of pervasive state surveillance,” the organization said. “Writers living in liberal democratic countries have begun to engage in self-censorship at levels approaching those seen in non-democratic countries, indicating that mass surveillance has badly shaken writers’ faith that democratic governments will respect their rights to privacy and freedom of expression.”
The survey found that 34 percent of writers in “Free” countries have avoided writing or speaking on a particular topic, or have seriously considered it. The number stood at 44 percent in “Party Free” countries, while 61 percent of writers in “Not Free” states answered the same.
“Writers are concerned that expressing certain views even privately or researching certain topics may lead to negative consequences,” the PEN American Center said, finding even higher percentages engaged in self-censorship on social media, emails, personal communications and research.
The results come as writers around the world have become increasingly concerned following revelations by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden that US intelligence agencies have gathered mass troves of communications data on both US citizens and foreigners.
The NSA has been subject to much criticism after its surveillance methods were first disclosed in classified documents released by Snowden in 2013. The methods included running massive surveillance programs without a warrant and sifting through databases in search of private information of Americans, foreigners and leaders of allied countries.
