8 Big Tech Firms Call for Government Surveillance Reforms

The world's leading technology companies have united to demand sweeping changes to US surveillance laws, urging an international ban on bulk collection of data to help preserve the public's "trust in the internet". Among the companies are AOL, Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Twitter, Yahoo and Microsoft. They sent an open letter to President Obama and members of Congress throwing their weight behind radical reforms already proposed by Washington politicians.

The letter was published on a newly launched website called Reform Government Surveillance. Here are parts of it:

"We understand that governments have a duty to protect their citizens. But this summer's revelations highlighted the urgent need to reform government surveillance practices worldwide..."

"The balance in many countries has tipped too far in favor of the state and away from the rights of the individual rights that are enshrined in our Constitution. This undermines the freedoms we all cherish. It's time for change. We urge the US to take the lead and make reforms that ensure that government surveillance efforts are clearly restricted by law, proportionate to the risks, transparent and subject to independent oversight," the letter went on to say.

Read more -here-

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