Edward Snowden UPDATE: Media Circus Continues Around NSA Whistleblower in Hong Kong, Techdirt Argues Not To Let 'Cult Of Personality' Cloud Story

As the media circus surrounding NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, at least one publication is arguing not to get involved in the spy movie antics of Snowden as he bounces from country to country in an attempt to avoid espionage charges.

In a piece titled "Dear Everyone: Please Don't Turn Edward Snowden Into Julian Assange" Techdirt writer Timothy Geigner says that we are letting the chase cloud our vision of what's really important i.e. what the leak revealed.

Via Techdirt:

"So, we're left to believe either that something of a shell game is going on, with Snowden doing a feint on one flight ostensibly to board another, or else the game is already over and someone, somewhere has Snowden in custody. And this is something we all really need to focus on because... well... 

Actually, we don't need to focus on it. It's a story and there's nothing wrong with reporting on Snowden's whereabouts, but this is all beginning to smell far too much like a Wikileaks style thumb-fest, where all the attention is placed on the person rather than the story. That can't be allowed to happen." 

Geigner says that if we get too focused on Snowden, we'll lose sight of what the leaks mean for the American government. He concludes the piece, thusly:

"The lesson here is that Snowden can't turn into another Assange. The cult of personality is the worst kind of celebrity worship, since it distracts so completely our attention from the actual issues in this case. Focus on what is being revealed, not who is revealing it, I'm begging you."

What do you think? Are we getting to wrapped up in the who of Edward Snowden as opposed to the what of the NSA leaks?

Sound off in the comments.