John Oliver recently discovered, much to his dismay, that many Americans still don’t know who Edward Snowden is or what he did. And that’s a scary thought given that soon parts of the Patriot Act that allow the NSA and other agencies to look into our personal data are up for renewal. So the “Last Week Tonight” host did what any good political comedian would: He took a trip to Moscow to talk to the whistleblower and have him explain in terms average U.S. citizens can wrap their heads around just how scary and all-encompassing government surveillance is.

The resulting interview is hilarious and informative, but also an important addition to the conversation Americans need to have about surveillance. One of the most interesting parts comes when Snowden explains just how involved companies like Google and Facebook are in helping the government watch over civilians.

But really, the entire somewhat suggestive video is worth watching.

—Posted by Natasha Hakimi Zapata

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#comedy#edward snowden#hbo#john oliver#last week tonight#nsa#politics#prism#surveillance#video