Snowden: Surveillance is 'setting fire' to the internet

Global mass surveillance conducted by the US and other governments is "setting fire to the future of the internet", according to Edward Snowden.

The former US National Security Agency contractor was speaking to technology innovators via video link at the South by Southwest Interactive conference.

Snowden fled the US last year after leaking thousands of documents that revealed his employer's extensive surveillance programmes.

He spoke to the audience through a choppy video connection running through multiple proxy servers to conceal his location.

Alpa Patel reports.