Ben Wizner

Ben Wizner is the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. He focuses on issues at the intersection of civil liberties and national security. He has spent nearly 15 years working on legal cases involving airport security policies, government watch lists, surveillance practices, targeted killing, and torture. His work is not only confined to litigation but also encompasses advocacy for civil liberties.

Wizner is known for his appearances on global media platforms, including Democracy Now!, Meet the Press, and Politicking with Larry King. He has testified before the U.S. Congress and contributed articles to various media outlets, including Time and the Freedom of the Press Foundation. His role as an educator is notable, as he serves as an adjunct professor at New York University School of Law.

Since July 2013, he has been the lead attorney and principal legal advisor to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, a role that has significantly heightened his geopolitical importance. His work with Snowden, which Wizner describes as "not traditional legal work, by any means," has led to international recognition and reaction, including comments following Julian Assange's arrest. He has defended Snowden’s actions as being for the public good and expressed the belief that Snowden will eventually return to the U.S.

His work has been represented in the media through his appearance in the documentary film Citizenfour, which won an Oscar. Wizner, a graduate of Harvard College and New York University School of Law, also served as a law clerk to the Hon. Stephen Reinhardt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.