Dotcom: Dear Edward Snowden, you are a hero

Lending his support to US government whistleblower Edward Snowden, Kim Dotcom has told Barack Obama "this is a fight you cannot win".

The Megaupload founder, currently facing copyright charges in the US, has come to the defence of the embattled former CIA technical assistant - currently at the centre of a US security probe.

After disclosing confidential documents to The Guardian newspaper, Snowden has accused top tech firms Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, Yahoo, YouTube, Skype, PalTalk and AOL of sharing customer data with the US government.

But with Snowden's whereabouts somewhat unknown, despite reports that the 29-year-old remains in a Hong Kong hotel, Dotcom has lent his support via Twitter.

"Dear Edward Snowden, you are a hero," he tweeted, his first of many on the subject. "Your service for #InternetFreedom & #HumanRights will be remembered. Enjoy Hong Kong ;-).

"To all potential Whistleblowers with evidence of government abuse: NOW IS THE TIME TO LEAK. Let's take our rights back! RT!

"To the Hong Kong government: This is your opportunity to be remembered as a place of good. Grant Edward Snowden asylum and protect him."

In a direct address to US President Barack Obama, Dotcom upped the ante further, claiming "the war for the Internet has begun" and "are you going to fix this Mr. President?"

"Dear @BarackObama, this is a fight you cannot win" he tweeted. "The Internet is more powerful than your government. We want #InternetFreedom."

Defending the surveillance program, named PRISM, Obama described his government's actions as a "modest encroachment" on privacy.

"Nobody is listening to your telephone calls," Obama insisted. "That's not what this program is about."

To watch Snowden's full video interview with The Guardian, click here

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