Eh...well intentioned, but no. There would be severe consequences for just offering employment to such sensitive individuals. People like Snowden are not brand

Eh...well intentioned, but no. There would be severe consequences for just offering employment to such sensitive individuals. People like Snowden are not branded untouchable because people are ideologically opposed to his actions - that's a misrepresentation of what's actually going on. Whistleblowers become shunned because whoever they come into contact with will be elevated to accomplice status. Google doesn't want that kind of fire under their ass. Altruism is all well and good, but there's a reason wh you're instructed to put your own oxygen mask on in a airplane emergency. If a company like Google did that, they would immediately: 1. Place Snowden in United States lawful jurisdiction, 2. Endanger their own fiscal well-being, 3. Draw political attention and divisive sentiments to themselves. I believe tech companies have a responsibility to take a stand, but being the hero and standing up to the man like that is essentially taking out Snowden and your company in a massive kamekaze attack that benefits only his detractors.