Tech Giants Form Coalition against U.S Surveillance Programs

Rival tech giants have formed a coalition to protest against U.S. surveillance programs that gather private data from the Internet which negatively affect the technology industry’s business.

According to a report from The Washington Post, Facebook, Aol, Google, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Yahoo let out their sentiments in major newspapers published on Monday and in a new website especially created for the issue – https://reformgovernmentsurveillance.com

The companies are bonded with one transparent motive, and that is to limit possible damages that may arise due to some leaked activities of the U.S. National Security Agency.

The rallying companies are very much affected because they are deeply entrenched in the society and that many users give out personal information in their sites.

The Silicon Valley has been long-defending its clients’ confidential rights in courts and in Congress. Alongside its request for reforms that would permit them to publicize information about furtive court orders, a number of companies are already initiating more encryption technology to protect their user’s information from prying eyes.

In the open letter addressed to U.S President Barack Obama and the Members of the Congress, the undersigned companies say, “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 a change.”

Internet companies are especially worried about customers’ trust issues.

“People won’t use technology they don’t trust. Governments have put this trust at risk, and governments need help restore it,” said Brad Smith, General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Microsoft’s Legal and Corporate Affairs Department.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer said, “Recent revelations about government surveillance activities have shaken the trust of our users.”

Internet companies are also worried that governments outside the U.S. might set more strict rules for companies to protect the privacy of their citizens.

“It’s potentially huge,” Oxford researcher in computer privacy and security Joss Wright said. “Other countries around the world could make it harder for (the companies) to carry on with unrestricted data gluttony.”