The US collects data from many sources to identify and prosecute whistleblowers. After publication, this includes information from many databases about which employees contacted a journalist.

The article suggests how messaging software might help protect whistleblowers; but this won't keep them safe for very long after the leak is published.

Above all, the article explains why the US must eliminate the practice of prosecuting whistleblowers for "spying" is fundamentally wrong anyway.

Meanwhile, real spy chiefs want to make things worse by banning secure encryption, and thus put our freedom in more danger — from them.