This document provides a basic introduction to global surveillance, discussing key topics such as Edward Snowden, PRISM, privacy concerns, and common defenses of mass surveillance like the "nothing to hide" argument. It notes that even those who claim privacy doesn't matter understand its importance in their own lives. Examples of global surveillance programs from various countries are given, with a focus on the scale and capabilities of American programs like the NSA's Utah Data Center and its daily interception of 29 petabytes of data. Concerns about the political uses of surveillance and its threats to democracy and innovation are also summarized.