Twitter Reacts To Edward Snowden's Q&A On Guardian's Website

Edward Snowden, he of NSA's Most Wanted status and still hiding in Hong Kong, dared to take to the Internet today to field any and all questions on the Guardian's website coming at him via Twitter and the Guardian's comments sections. How did Twitter react? Let's wade into the refuse and find out.

Some people were dissatisfied with Snowden’s responses, and/or his seeming avoidance of their questions.

Still not satisfied with Snowden's response on the meaning of "direct access." http://t.co/USZIe4Ongr
- Jeff Jarvis (@jeffjarvis) June 17, 2013

Others chose to make fun of the NSA and other institutions Snowden had implicated in the spying scandals:

"Oh my G-d! Snowden is IN THE BUILDING!" --NSA, during Snowden's Guardian chat
- John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) June 17, 2013

Some people admired his audacity to show his digital-face in digital-public, and offered their support, sort of.

The fact that Edward Snowden is responding to questions live on the internet while being sought by the US government is amazing. #thefuture
- Brian Bickell (@brianbickell) June 17, 2013

Watching people writhe around trying to find something wrong with Edward Snowden's answering people's questions is quite fascinating.
- Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) June 17, 2013

If they'd taught a class on how to be the kind of citizen Dick Cheney worries abt, I'd hv finished high school #AskSnowden
- alan rusbridger (@arusbridger) June 17, 2013

Second highest: water-boarding. RT Snowden: "Being called a traitor by Dick Cheney is the highest honor you can give an American."
- Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) June 17, 2013

There were the usual Internet shenanigans.

Snowden: "if I were a Chinese spy, why wouldn't I have flown directly into Beijing? I could be living in a palace petting a phoenix by now."
- Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) June 17, 2013

Need a pic of Snowden chilling in a palace petting a phoenix stat cc @darth
- Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) June 17, 2013

OK OK #gameofsnowden pic.twitter.com/dL6ISDdgLg
- OS XI darth™ (@darth) June 17, 2013

omfg that was last week gordon RT @GordonHughes: Even better:Ygritte saying “You know EVERYTHING, Edward Snowden.” pic.twitter.com/avTP4Eyh6l
- OS XI darth™ (@darth) June 17, 2013

This person decided to pen some fan fiction.

The tong assassin pulled off his black mask, and to Edward's shock, he was a SHE. "I'm not here to kill you," she purred as she started unty
- Rusty Foster (@rustyk5) June 17, 2013

"That was amazing," the slim Asian assassin whispered as Snowden lit them each a cigarette. "I always knew Gundam was real," he said philoso
- Rusty Foster (@rustyk5) June 17, 2013

Lots of people took the opportunity to simply diss him.

Becoming clear that one Snowden scandal is how someone so opposed to *any* intelligence gathering got a job at the NSA.
- alexmassie (@alexmassie) June 17, 2013

This Snowden kid is a moron. I guess that's what you get when you give TS/SCI clearance to some jagoff with barely a GED. Dumbass.
- Ruben N. Musca (@TehRubenDC) June 17, 2013

Something tells me just about now (by only reading tweets), Snowden wishes he had a PR team (not Lance Armstrong's or A-Rod's). #nsa
- Brad Tucker (@BradCTucker) June 17, 2013

Snowden Surrenders Moral Authority With Dangerous Leaks About American, U.K. Spying Techniques | Mediaite http://t.co/3Y5KUtG6G2
- SpireaX (@SpireaX) June 17, 2013

Snowden, revealing what an asshole he is: "The US Government is not going to be able to cover this up by jailing or murdering me"
- John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) June 17, 2013

I'd have a tiny bit of respect for Edward Snowden if he could also take a guy out using Krav Maga.
- John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) June 17, 2013

Screw Snowden. jerk RT @dannysullivan: Guardian doing live Q&A with Snowden http://t.co/iObBEXtVQu #AskSnowden
- Grant Heitkamp (@grantheitkamp) June 17, 2013

RT @ManchurianCat #asksnowden Why did you go public with this story if you wanted no publicity? •Good question is good
- Or Am I? (@ImNotScotWalker) June 17, 2013

"Bathtub falls kill more Americans than terrorism" #AskSnowden. Fatuous argument, doesn't mean we don't need some terror surveillance.
- Pete Olympian (@PeteOlympian) June 17, 2013

I can't understand anything Snowden is saying. I don't speak Chinese America hater, sorry. *plugs ears* *reads @TPM*
- kade (@onekade) June 17, 2013

People who hailed Snowden as a hero are looking sillier by the day.
- Philip Klein (@philipaklein) June 17, 2013

One brave soul decided this was all an exercise in futility anyway.

This Snowden story is quickly devolving into a soap opera and we still don’t know much more about PRISM than we did two weeks ago.
- Dan Seifert (@dcseifert) June 17, 2013

In other news, you should follow Maya Shwayder on Twitter.

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