After getting severely criticised over the National Security Agency controversy, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and other allegedly involved tech companies have joined forces in order to insist for more clarity when it comes to NSA surveillance and requests. All together 63 companies, non-profit organizations and investors have now pleaded with the U.S. government to permit the phone, internet and other service providers to make public the requests they receive regarding the uses data, which according to 9to5Google includes:
“- The number of government requests for information about their users
– The number of individuals, accounts, or devices for which information was requested
– The number of requests that sought communications content, basic subscriber information, and/or other information.”
Along with this, the tech companies had also requested that the NSA’s requests data should be issued just like the information of law enforcement has been shared for several years.
According to a copy of the letter from the tech companies, “Basic information about how the government uses its various law enforcement–related investigative authorities has been published for years without any apparent disruption to criminal investigations. We seek permission for the same information to be made available regarding the government’s national security–related authorities.”
Below is the full signed letter by Apple, Yahoo, Google, AOL, Dropbox, Twitter and others:
“We the undersigned are writing to urge greater transparency around national security-related requests by the US government to Internet, telephone, and web-based service providers for information about their users and subscribers.
First, the US government should ensure that those companies who are entrusted with the privacy and security of their users’ data are allowed to regularly report statistics reflecting:
The number of government requests for information about their users made under specific legal authorities such as Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act, Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, the various National Security Letter (NSL) statutes, and others;
The number of individuals, accounts, or devices for which information was requested under each authority; and
The number of requests under each authority that sought communications content, basic subscriber information, and/or other information. Second, the government should also augment the annual reporting that is already required by statute by issuing its own regular “transparency report” providing the same information: the total number of requests under specific authorities for specific types of data, and the number of individuals affected by each.
As an initial step, we request that the Department of Justice, on behalf of the relevant executive branch agencies, agree that Internet, telephone, and web-based service providers may publish specific numbers regarding government requests authorized under specific national security authorities, including the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the NSL statutes. We further urge Congress to pass legislation requiring comprehensive transparency reporting by the federal government and clearly allowing for transparency reporting by companies without requiring companies to first seek permission from the government or the FISA Court.
Basic information about how the government uses its various law enforcement–related investigative authorities has been published for years without any apparent disruption to criminal investigations. We seek permission for the same information to be made available regarding the government’s national security–related authorities.
This information about how and how often the government is using these legal authorities is important to the American people, who are entitled to have an informed public debate about the appropriateness of those authorities and their use, and to international users of US-based service providers who are concerned about the privacy and security of their communications.
Just as the United States has long been an innovator when it comes to the Internet and products and services that rely upon the Internet, so too should it be an innovator when it comes to creating mechanisms to ensure that government is transparent, accountable, and respectful of civil liberties and human rights. We look forward to working with you to set a standard for transparency reporting that can serve as a positive example for governments across the globe.
Thank you.”
Source: 9to5Google
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