Edward Snowden - used to work in the NSA, NSA is a very shadowy US agency. Some people say, that it's acronym of "No Such Agency". However, the revelation of Snowden prove that NSA exists. Not only that, it has elaborate surveillance mechanisms in place, this surveillance, infringes upon rights of privacy enshrined in US constitution. Hence, his revelations have struck at the very root of US ideolgical basis. He has been given a sanctuary by Russia.