Ending Spy Powers of NSA 'Historic' Says Edward Snowden

Former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden has hailed the ongoing efforts to end the mass collection of data from Americans' phone records.

In a landmark legislation passed by the United States Senate, it will now impose limits on the powers of the NSA.

Speaking live from Russia via video link at the Amnesty International Event in London, Snowden felt the efforts to end mass surveillance was an important step. He also urged campaigners to go further.

Snowden said, "This is meaningful, it is important and actually historic that this has been refuted, not just by the courts, but by Congress as well and the president himself is saying this mass surveillance has to end."

"For the first time in recent history we found that despite the claims of government, the public made the final decision and that is a radical change that we should seize on, we should value and we should push further."

Through the USA Freedom Act, the NSA can now longer tap into the phone records of millions of Americans who have no links to terrorism.

Authorities can gain access from telephone companies only after producing a warrant through a secret counterterror court.

"If we collect everything we understand nothing," Snowden told the audience. "We're spending resources for no benefit in terms of public safety and a real cost in terms of freedom and liberty."

"Once you've lost a certain degree of power you can no longer oppose that power. There can be no revolutionary political movement when the government knows what everybody is doing, what everybody is saying, what everybody is thinking."

Snowden has for some time been highly critical of mass collection of data and termed it ineffective in preventing terrorist attacks while also infringing on people's freedom.