Defining reality after Snowden

Design: This study features a comprehensive design, both conceptually as well as methodological, in order to uncover surveillance discourses in different sectors throughout society after the groundbreaking disclosures on global mass surveillance. These disclosures were fundamentally aided by the whistleblowing activities of Edward Snowden. Through a triangular conceptual design, this study investigated the discourses used by the corporate sector, government, and citizen groups. Methodology: This study featured a very comprehensive methodological design using digital research methods (DRM), quantitative and qualitative content analysis, and in-depth discourse analysis. Accordingly, while moving forward through the research process, the data captured with the different methodologies allowed for an increasingly rich understanding of how surveillance is understood in different societal sectors. The network analysis (DRM) capitalized on the linking structure of the internet and collected big data in bulks, whereas the content analysis identified themes and differences among societal sectors, and finally, the discourse analysis was instrumental in finding out what discourses were prominently used by what sectors. Because the methods build on each other, results gained increased validity through triangulation. Findings: The corporate sector, government sector, and citizen group sector draw on fundamentally different discourses, that sometimes draw on each other through interdiscursivity, and sometimes are engaged in discursive struggle. Most notably, the triangular sectors fail to acknowledge the fundamental role of the corporate sector in facilitating current mass surveillance. This failure has fundamental ideological consequences. Relevance: The relatively recent mass surveillance disclosures made possible by Edward Snowden, leave a substantial gap for identifying surveillance discourses after his leaking. In addition, the innovative triangular design adds to a knowledge gap by contrasting the discourses used by different societal sector in a framework. In addition, the societal relevance is evidenced by the large societal interest in the topic as well as public recognition for the relevance of the issue. Surveillance discourse fundamentally influences the way we perceive reality. Suggestions: As discourses are contingent they change over time. As a result, a longitudinal study to surveillance discourses could be conducted in order to observe how discourses change over time. In addition, a study could be conducted to surveillance discourses prior to the leaking of Edward Snowden, and potentially compare the results with the discourses after leaking. Finally, surveillance discourses could be compared across different geographical regions