Glenn Greenwald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Glenn Greenwald
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Greenwald in 2014
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| Born | Glenn Edward Greenwald March 6, 1967 Queens, New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Journalist and author |
| Education | George Washington University (BA) New York University (JD) |
| Genre | Political and legal commentary |
| Subjects |
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| Employers | The Intercept (2014–2020) The Guardian (2012–2013) Salon (2007–2012) |
| Notable works |
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| Spouse |
David Miranda
(m. 2005; died 2023) |
| Children | 2 |
Glenn Edward Greenwald (born March 6, 1967) is an American journalist and author. He is known for his work on important stories about government secrets and privacy. He started as a lawyer, focusing on freedom of speech. Later, he became a writer and reporter, often sharing his views on politics and law.
In 2013, while working for The Guardian newspaper, Greenwald published a series of reports. These reports revealed secret information about how the American and British governments were watching people around the world. This information came from Edward Snowden, a former government contractor. Greenwald's work helped The Guardian win a special award called the Pulitzer Prize. In 2014, he helped start a news organization called The Intercept. He also reported on a big corruption case in Brazil, which caused a lot of discussion.
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Early life and education
Glenn Greenwald was born in New York City. When he was a baby, his family moved to Lauderdale Lakes, Florida. His parents separated when he was six.
When he was 17 and still in high school, Greenwald decided to run for a seat on the Lauderdale Lakes City Council. He was inspired by his grandfather, who had been on the council. He tried again at age 23 but did not win either time. After these attempts, he decided to focus on studying law instead of running for office.
He went to George Washington University and earned a degree in philosophy in 1990. He then studied law at New York University School of Law, finishing in 1994.
Journalism career
Starting with Unclaimed Territory and Salon
In 2005, Greenwald began writing a blog called Unclaimed Territory. He wrote about national security issues and how he felt the government was limiting people's freedoms after the September 11 attacks. He often criticized the Iraq War. His blog became popular and won an award in 2006.
In 2007, Greenwald started writing for the Salon website. His articles there covered topics like government investigations and the actions of powerful officials. He also wrote about Chelsea Manning, a U.S. Army private who shared secret documents. Greenwald called Manning a "whistle-blower" and a "national hero." A whistleblower is someone who reveals secret information about wrongdoing, often in government or a company.
Working at The Guardian
In 2012, Greenwald joined the American team of the British newspaper The Guardian. He wrote a weekly column and a daily blog. He said this move would help him reach more readers around the world.
Revealing global surveillance
In late 2012, Greenwald was contacted by Edward Snowden. Snowden was a former contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA), a U.S. government intelligence agency. Snowden said he had secret documents he wanted to share. These documents showed how the U.S. government was collecting information about phone calls and internet use from many people.
Greenwald began working with Snowden in 2013. The first of Snowden's documents were published in The Guardian in June 2013. These reports showed that the NSA was collecting phone records from millions of Americans. Greenwald said that Snowden's documents showed how much the government was watching people.
Greenwald's reporting on the Snowden story was a big part of the documentary film Citizenfour. This film won an Academy Award in 2014.
Sharing his findings
In August 2013, Greenwald spoke to the National Congress of Brazil. He said that the U.S. government used fighting terrorism as an excuse to spy on other countries for business and economic reasons.
In December 2013, he spoke to the European Parliament. He explained that the United Kingdom was a major threat to the privacy of European citizens because it was intercepting underwater internet cables.
In October 2013, Greenwald left The Guardian to work on a new journalism project.
Starting The Intercept
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The new project was called The Intercept. It was funded by Pierre Omidyar, who founded eBay. Omidyar wanted to support independent journalism because he was worried about press freedoms. Greenwald, along with other journalists, launched The Intercept in February 2014. He was one of the main editors.
In October 2020, Greenwald resigned from The Intercept. He said he left because of disagreements over what he could publish. After leaving, he started publishing his work on a platform called Substack.
New platforms: Substack, Locals, and Rumble
After leaving The Intercept, Greenwald continued to publish his articles and opinions on Substack. This is an online platform where writers can share their work directly with subscribers.
In 2023, Greenwald started hosting a show called System Update. This show is broadcast live on Rumble, which is a video platform. On his show, he talks about current political issues and interviews guests like academics and other journalists. He also shares his Substack work on Locals, which is another platform connected to Rumble.
Reporting on Brazil's Operation Car Wash
In June 2019, Greenwald and other journalists from The Intercept Brasil published many messages. These messages were exchanged between people involved in a big corruption investigation in Brazil called Operation Car Wash. The messages seemed to show that a judge and prosecutors were not acting fairly in the case. This included the case of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The leaks had a huge impact on Brazilian politics. Greenwald faced threats and harassment because of his reporting. However, a Supreme Court justice in Brazil ruled that any investigation into Greenwald for his reporting would be illegal, protecting press freedom. In January 2020, Brazilian prosecutors charged Greenwald with cybercrimes, but a federal judge dismissed these charges a month later.
Books written
Greenwald has written several books. His first book, How Would a Patriot Act?, was published in 2006. It became a bestseller.
His second book, A Tragic Legacy, looked at the time when George W. Bush was president. This book was also a bestseller. Other books include Great American Hypocrites and With Liberty and Justice for Some.
In 2014, he published No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State. This book was about his work with Edward Snowden and the government's surveillance programs. It was on The New York Times Best Seller list for six weeks.
His book Securing Democracy: My Fight for Press Freedom and Justice in Brazil (2021) describes his experience publishing the leaked messages about Operation Car Wash in Brazil.
Political views
United States politics
Greenwald has often criticized both Republican and Democratic politicians when he believes they are doing things that harm civil liberties or go against democratic principles. He has said that the media sometimes supports government actions instead of asking tough questions.
He has also expressed doubts about claims of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He believes that some of these claims were exaggerated.
Israel
Greenwald has criticized the Israeli government's policies, especially its foreign policy and its influence on U.S. politics. He has also spoken about the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.
Julian Assange
Greenwald has defended Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. Assange published many secret government documents. Greenwald has criticized the U.S. government's decision to charge Assange under the Espionage Act. He believes this could make it harder for journalists to report on important government secrets.
Jair Bolsonaro
Greenwald has been a strong critic of Jair Bolsonaro, who was the president of Brazil. He has said that Bolsonaro's views are very extreme. Greenwald faced threats and legal action from Bolsonaro's government because of his reporting on the Operation Car Wash leaks.
Animal rights
Greenwald is a vegan, meaning he does not eat animal products. He is also a strong supporter of animal rights. He and his husband have many rescue dogs. In 2017, they announced plans to build a shelter for stray pets in Brazil.
Personal life
In 2005, Glenn Greenwald met David Miranda in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They later married and lived in Rio de Janeiro.
In 2017, Greenwald and Miranda became legal guardians of two brothers from Brazil, and formally adopted them in 2018.
David Miranda was a politician in Brazil and a member of Congress. He was a close friend of Marielle Franco, a human rights activist and politician who was killed. David Miranda passed away in May 2023 after a long illness.
Greenwald does not follow an organized religion, but he believes in a spiritual side of the world. He also practices yoga.
Recognition and awards
Glenn Greenwald has received many awards for his journalism.
- In 2009, he received the first Izzy Award for independent media.
- In 2010, he won an Online Journalism Award for his work on the conditions of Chelsea Manning.
- His reporting on the National Security Agency (NSA) won several awards, including the George Polk Award for National Security Reporting in 2013.
- He also won the Esso Journalism Award in Brazil for his articles on NSA surveillance of Brazilians.
- The team he led at The Guardian was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2014 for their NSA reporting.
- Foreign Policy Magazine named him one of the top 100 Global Thinkers of 2013.
- In 2014, he received the Geschwister-Scholl-Preis, a German literary award, for his book No Place to Hide. He also received the McGill Medal for Journalistic Courage.
Images for kids
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David Miranda and Greenwald speak at the National Congress of Brazil in 2013.
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Greenwald with Benjamin Netanyahu and Jair Bolsonaro in 2019.
See also
In Spanish: Glenn Greenwald para niños
