Would you feel differently about Snowden, Greenwald, and Assange if you knew what they really thought?

High-profile leakers have largely set the terms in the debate over transparency and privacy. But do they deserve the prestige and influence that has been accorded to them?

By Sean Wilentz

This article first appeared on newrepublic.com

We live in the age of the leaker. Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, and Julian Assange are celebrated as heroes on op-ed pages and across glossy magazine spreads.