Espionage Act prosecutions are taking place while the judge excludes or holds inadmissible the evidence that the whistleblower or leaker of information, such as John Kiriakou or Edward Snowden, had the intent and effect of improving society and/or exposing wrongs, crimes, illegal surveillance and/or torture.  Evidence or assertions to the effect that the person was acting as a whistleblower or that his revelations have sparked positive public or societal change or that such positive change far outweighs any harm conceivably done are often inadmissible, and in some case, the government has effectively prevented or tried to prevent even the word whistleblower from being used during the trial.