The man who changed the course of tide with his shocking facts about US secret spying mission has been nominated for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Many say his release of classified documents have indeed cautioned nations to tighten their privacy in terms of internet safety.  Last year Russia offered temporary asylum to Edward Snowden after he disclosed the US govt's secrets on surveillance programmes and other activities, he faces criminal charges in the US.

However, the discovery has led to a storm which is about to unleash. Your freedom ends where the privacy of others begin, make sure you don’t trespass into someone’s private zone. Or as it goes –‘trespassers will be prosecuted’, it seems the US has forgotten the basic etiquettes regarding respect for someone’s privacy. This callous and uncanny behavior has not got down well with the world’s leaders. The scandal comes amid a series of concerns regarding the internet safety in different countries. What has been criticized heavily is the alleged US eavesdropping on foreign leaders that has caused a lot of anxiety among the allies.

Violation of the right to privacy on the internet has caused an immense uproar in all quarters, safety and security of a country under no circumstances can be compromised. Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor too fell victim to US surveillance with her mobile phone getting tapped and monitored by the US National Security Agency (NSA). Merkel has admonished US for conducting surveillance and spying activities reported by fugitive IT contractor Edward Snowden.  She plans a visit to Washington to hold a firm dialogue on the spying issue with President Barrack Obama.

Merkel stressed that “ Germany could not wish for a better partner than the US” but also agreed that the allies remain “far apart” on the “ethical question” of freedom versus security in state surveillance. She further goes on asking “is it right if in the end this is not about averting terrorist threats but for example, gaining an advantage over  allies in negotiations,  at  G20 summit or UN sessions?”  She replies back saying “Our answer can only be: No, this can’t be right. Because it touches the very core of what cooperation between friendly and allied countries is about: trust”

If Merkel fails to deliver her promise which she had made at the time of her election campaign last year, she will lose not just credibility in the eyes of the public but will also show how little influence she has in White House. It’s a do or die situation for the Chancellor. She had sent a strong message to the voters last year that she and her conservatives were doing all they could to safeguard the data of German people.

Merkel has greatly emphasized on the no spy treaty. She has mentioned that Berlin is ensuring that the European no spy agreement becomes a reality as soon as possible to protect the data privacy. Despite, the big claims, things are slowly falling apart and it seems the surveillance deal between Washington and Berlin might never come up on papers. Suddeutsche Zeitung, a German daily reported that the US is refusing to promise that it won’t monitor members of the German govt. and other politicians in the future.

German government is confronting US on the spying issue and proclaims to have informed Washington that it considers the spying role orchestrated by US to be a complete violation of Vienna convention on diplomatic relations that calls for strict condemnation and legal actions.

How soon the two NATO allies reach an agreement in this regard will reflect the true nature of trans Atlantic relations. In such a scenario, all eyes are set on the Chancellor, Merkel must deliver!

As for the US, stop sowing the seeds of distrust else remember the adage ‘as you sow, so shall you reap”….high time!