In 2013, filmmaker Laura Poitras was contacted by an anonymous senior government intelligence employee calling himself "Citizen Four" who claimed to have information regarding the U.S. government's covert-surveillance programs aimed at U.S. citizens. The anonymous source was revealed to be Edward Snowden, a National Security Agency (NSA) employee who believed the American public had a right to know about the government's surveillance. The documentary shows Poitras' first meeting with Snowden in Hong Kong. He reveals more about the NSA's surveillance program and Poitras gives the viewer more background information on the issue, detailing earlier attempts by government officials to expose the government's massive invasion of privacy. Because of his whistleblowing, Snowden faced potential extradition to the U.S. and federal prosecution.
