After NSA whistleblower and millennial sex symbol Edward Snowden tweeted a mysterious string of characters on Friday afternoon, conspiracy theorists and concerned fans feared he might be dead when Sputnik, a Russian news site, reported the now-deleted code might be a “dead man’s switch,” which is apparently something Snowden could have set up “if he did not check in to the computer at a certain time,” according to Inquisitr.
When a Twitter user asked Snowden’s pal Glenn Greenwald if he was OK, Greenwald responded, “He’s fine.”
@HannahhhBeth @Snowden He’s fine
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) August 6, 2016
(To which @Korozia75 responded, “Come on. Who cares about Snowden. His stupidest asshol.” Fair point.)
Two days earlier, Snowden tweeted — and subsequently deleted — a message to his former coworkers saying “It’s time.” Some speculate his tweet from Friday was an encryption code for new files he will soon leak. Of course, this is all conjecture.
Image credit: Twitter/Wayback Machine
Barton Gellman, who is currently working on a book about Snowden, assured the public he is OK and reminded the public, “Some tweets have private meaning.”
1. Everyone requesting proof of life for me and @Snowden, take a deep breath.
2. Some tweets have private meaning.
3. My @SecureDrop is up.— Barton Gellman (@bartongellman) August 6, 2016
This is the equivalent of tweeting, “Something bad happened. Really sad. Don’t @ me.” C’mon Snowden, spill the beans already!