German TV: Snowden Says NSA Also Spies on Industry

[mindwalker_i]

43. Sorry I wasn't as specific as I should have been

My question "So the Germans are vacuuming..." was referring to the claim that Germans did it too, meaning they vacuumed up data and used it for industrial espionage. you are entirely correct in that the way I phrased the question - "using it to their advantage" - did not specify beyond a doubt that I was referring to industrial espionage, and I would like to correct that error.

The argument, as I read it, is that it's okay for us to commit industrial espionage because Germany is doing it to. So my question is whether there is any evidence Germany is committing industrial espionage. Granted that they, along with other countries, are vacuuming up data just as we are.

As a whole, the argument seems to be suggesting that this is just how the world works - countries spy on their people, their companies, and other country's people and companies. Therefore we shouldn't be mad about it happening. I disagree with that. We have laws that say the government shouldn't spy on us (it's citizens), and having a government commit industrial espionage would also be very damaging.