In the “hero or traitor” debate surrounding National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, Sweden and Iceland’s Pirate Party representatives are siding with “hero.” After receiving nominations from Norwegian politicians and a Brazilian senator, the party representatives nominated Snowden yesterday for the Nobel Peace Prize. 

Norwegian politicians Bard Solhjell and Snorre Valen explained their nomination in a statement saying, “The public debate and changes in policy that have followed in the wake of Snowden’s whistleblowing has contributed to a more stable and peaceful world order.”

According to the founder of the Nobel Peace Prize, it should be “conferred the greatest benefit to mankind.” 

While Snowden’s actions have raised the curtain on government surveillance and certainly stirred a debate on privacy rights, his efforts don’t warrant a nomination. Risking espionage charges by the U.S. government that then caused Snowden to leave his homeland, all in the name of privacy, is laudable. But it’s a far cry from promoting world peace.  

The conversation Snowden sparked has much more to do with technological freedom and privacy.

 The nomination was made for agenda promotion and image improvement instead of fostering global relations or social change.

It’s still impossible to see the full impact of Snowden’s actions. In December, the Guardian said it had only published 1 percent of the 5,800 leaked documents.  Though the NSA was under review earlier this year, it still has not seen any significant changes regarding data collection. 

Snowden has gotten months of international attention, but the full impact of his actions remains to be seen. Awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize, or even a nomination, at this point is premature. It seems to be only jumpi ng on the bandwagon of Snowden’s fame before his story has played out.

America remains split on Snowden’s whistleblowing. According to a November poll conducted by the Washington Post and ABC, 52 percent of Americans think Snowden should face criminal charges for leaking the documents.  While breaking the law is often necessary in the name of promoting freedom, Snowden remains a deeply controversial figure.

We will have to wait and see whether more substantial changes come from Snowden’s efforts. 

But until then, he is not ready to join the ranks of Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela.