The man who blew the whistle on mass spying by the U.S. National Security Agency is calling on the public to protect their privacy.<br/> <br />Speaking via video link, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden told a packed house at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival to fight against mass surveillance.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) EDWARD SNOWDEN, FORMER SECURITY CONTRACTOR, SAYING:<br/> <br />"The NSA, the sort of global mass surveillance that's occurring in all of these countries, not just the U.S. and it's important to remember that this is a global issue, they are setting fire to the future of the internet and the people who are in this room now, you guys are all the firefighters."<br/> <br />Snowden revealed last year in an interview with The Guardian that the U.S. was storing telephone and internet data of millions of Americans, which prompted him to speak up.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) EDWARD SNOWDEN, FORMER SECURITY CONTRACTOR, SAYING:<br/> <br />"If data is being clandestinely acquired, and th
