Freedom of the Press Foundation has received the proceeds from the sale of whistleblower Edward Snowden’s first original NFT artwork, sold at auction today for 2,224 ETH (approximately $5.5 million). This total marks the most valuable artwork sold to date on the platform foundation.app. Snowden listed the auction on behalf of Freedom of the Press Foundation, where he has served as president of the board of directors since 2016.
The following statement can be attributed to Freedom of the Press Foundation executive director Trevor Timm:
“We are so grateful to Edward and to the generous bidders who have made this historic donation possible. When we first discussed the possibility of a charity NFT auction, we thought we were ready for anything. And yet, this result has exceeded our wildest hopes. It’s an honor to be able to pledge these resources to the amazing work our team does defending press freedom. We can’t wait to share with our supporters how we plan on using this funding to further the rights of journalists and whistleblowers everywhere in the coming weeks.”
From director of development Louise Balsmeyer:
“We are so grateful for the opportunity to engage in this new approach to fundraising and activism for non-profit organizations. This is the single largest donation we’ve ever had and we’re overwhelmed by the magnitude of generosity in support of our organization. This contribution will be an incredible boost to our work protecting and empowering journalists, through our development on SecureDrop, hosting digital security trainings through the Digital Security Training Program, documenting attacks on the press through the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, and uplifting our advocacy work.”
Freedom of the Press Foundation plans to purchase carbon offsets equivalent to the footprint of the NFT, and will share specifics on that process soon.
About Freedom of the Press Foundation
Founded in 2012, Freedom of the Press Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that protects and defends public interest journalism in the 21st century. We believe that a thriving free press—one that can change the course of history—depends not only on strong advocacy, but also on actively empowering journalists and whistleblowers to do their job in the face of adversity.
We build secure communications tools used at many of the world’s top news organizations. We teach journalists and documentary filmmakers how to keep themselves and their sources safe in the digital age. We document and report on virtually every press freedom violation in the United States. And we engage in public and legal advocacy on critical issues affecting journalists’ rights in the U.S. and around the world.