Talk:Ben Wizner
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Edward Snowden
editI removed Wikidata claim that Edward Snowden is Wizner's employer. Cited reference does not clearly state that Wizner is personally employed by Snowden, rather than representing him in his (Wizner's) capacity as an ACLU employee. Moreover, other sources have reported that Wizner represents Snowden pro bono, which further complicates the employment claim. KalHolmann (talk) 19:26, 20 December 2017 (UTC)
Khalid El-Masri
editI also removed the Wikidata claim that Khalid El-Masri is Wizner's employer, and for the same reason as Snowden (see above). Sources indicate Wizner and other attorneys represented El-Masri as ACLU employees, not as employees of Khalid El-Masri. KalHolmann (talk) 21:47, 20 December 2017 (UTC)
Stephen Reinhardt
editI removed the Wikidata claim that Stephen Reinhardt was Wizner's employer. As a clerk for Judge Reinhardt, Wizner would have been an employee of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, not of the judge personally. KalHolmann (talk) 21:49, 20 December 2017 (UTC)
Updated Early life and education section
edit | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered. |
Hello editors! My name's Sara and I work for the ACLU. I have drafted an updated version of this article, with improved sourcing, that I'm seeking updates to this page from.
Would anybody be willing to take a look at my request? I understand that I have a conflict of interest, so I'll never directly edit the article unless explicitly told to do so.
- Request: I would like to take what is currently in the Education and personal life section, and replace it wholesale with the following version, naming it the Early life and education. This will help the section become more succinct, flow better, and simplify the amount of sources being used. The title change will also be a bit more in keeping with Wikipedia manual of style. See below:
Wizner, born in 1971, was raised on the Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticut. His father, Stephen Wizner, was a law professor at Yale Law School, and his mother was a dean. Wizner studied literature at Harvard University, graduating in 1993, and later earned a law degree in New York.[1][2] He was a law clerk to Stephen Reinhardt of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.[3]
References
- ↑ Prosinger, Julia (June 10, 2014). "He is not alone". Der Tagesspiegel. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ↑ Walsh, Colleen (March 26, 2014). "Defending Snowden: Revelations key to reform push, says ACLU lawyer". Harvard Gazette. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ↑ NPR Staff (February 18, 2014). "Debate: Was Edward Snowden Justified?". NPR. Archived from the original on September 22, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
Let me know what you think, and thanks! ACLUSara (talk) 15:31, 18 May 2026 (UTC)
Partly done. Section header changed. I guess I'm not sure why the information about his secondary school and work prior with a nonprofit prior to law school should be removed. The sourcing seems appropriate (a non-primary source for the Hopkins School info would be preferred but isn't terrible as-is) and I don't really see a reason how this makes it "flow better" or why it needs to be made "more succinct." I have marked this request as answered; to reopen this with additional information/sources, please change |answered=yes to |answered=no in the {{edit COI}} template at the top of this section. Best, SpencerT•C 03:08, 24 May 2026 (UTC)
- Your edits definitely make sense, and I appreciate you taking a look here. Your feedback is noted for my future requests, thanks ACLUSara (talk) 16:12, 1 July 2026 (UTC)
| The user below has a request that an edit be made to Ben Wizner. That user has an actual or apparent conflict of interest. Summary of request: Article content re-organization The requested edits backlog is very high. Please be extremely patient. There are currently 500 requests waiting for review.Please read the instructions for the parameters used by this template for accepting and declining them, and review the request below and make the edit if it is well sourced, neutral, and follows other Wikipedia guidelines and policies. |
Hello editors! My name's Sara and I work for the ACLU. I have drafted an updated version of the current History and Public comments sections. Would anybody be willing to take a look at my request?
- Request: I would like to take what is currently in the Career and Public comments sections, and replace it with the content in the box below.
- My proposed version of the Career section provides a clearer narrative of Wizner’s career by outlining his focus areas and main leadership roles covered in reliable sourcing. I've only removed information where it could not be backed by reliable sourcing, including some of the information from the Medium blog. The current version lists activities chronologically, contains primary sources, and contains much with less context.
- I've also renamed the Public comments section to be Public commentary. This is so we can move some of the content from the main Career section, into this section. Using Public commentary as a section heading broadens the focus to include not only Wizner’s specific comments, but also his public stances and media appearances. This updated section will also help distinguish his public commentary from the biographical details of his career.
- See below:
Proposed version |
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Career
Wizner began his legal career at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Los Angeles in August 2001, focusing initially on jail and prison reform. After the September 11 attacks, his work shifted to civil liberties issues related to the treatment of Muslim Americans and national security legislation. He moved to the ACLU’s national office in 2004, and joined the newly established National Security Project, where he worked on detention, interrogation, and watch list issues, including representing torture victims and Guantanamo Bay detainees.[1][2] Wizner became director of the ACLU's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project in 2011. In this role, he concentrated on the intersection of technology and civil liberties.[1] He then became Edward Snowden’s principal legal adviser in July 2013. He coordinated legal support and media communications, and managed Snowden’s participation in public events.[2] He has been a critic of government mass surveillance, arguing that Snowden’s disclosures provided evidence necessary for legal challenges. Wizner has also spoken against the use of the Espionage Act against whistleblowers and advocated for legal reforms to allow a public interest defense.[3][2] Wizner was an adjunct professor at New York University School of Law as of 2018.[4] As of October 2025, Wizner is deputy legal director and director of the Center for Democracy at the ACLU.[5] Public commentary
He has been a contributor to Lawfare, Time, the Freedom of the Press Foundation, and several other media outlets. He has also testified before the United States Congress.[6][7][8][9] Wizner participated in an Intelligence Squared U.S. debate in February 2014, arguing in favor of Edward Snowden's actions.[10] He provided legal guidance on the First Amendment to student protesters during The National School Walkout on CNN.[4] After the United States Department of Justice sued over Edward Snowden’s memoir, Wizner said the book contained no new classified information and Snowden was wary of the government's review process. Earlier that year, Wizner and the ACLU, with the 'Knight First Amendment Institute, had sued to challenge the constitutionality of the government’s pre-publication review system.[11] In June 2020, Wizner said the government’s effort to block John Bolton’s memoir was to prevent scandal, not protect national security.[12] In July 2020, he stated the government could not imprison Michael Cohen for writing about President Trump.[13] He described the arrest of activist Mahmoud Khalil as "unprecedented, illegal, and un-American" in 2025.[14] He has spoken at events such as the National Liberty Museum’s panel on free speech and the Fast Company Innovation Festival in 2025.[15][5] References
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Let me know what you think, and thanks! ACLUSara (talk) 19:27, 10 July 2026 (UTC)