Perhaps the reporters on the case were “technologically illiterate” because the article is based on confidential sources. Deputizing another reporter to ask more intelligent questions was probably not in the offing.
Besides, the article says that it’s more complicated than “wget.”
While Snowden could set the reporters straight, “sources and methods” could be used to build a criminal case. and I’m sure that Snowden would prefer not to work against himself, and instead direct his attentions toward building a case against surveillance.
