Microsoft signs letter to congress calling for changes to government surveillance

Microsoft has teamed up with the likes of Mozilla, Silent Circle, Human Rights Watch, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and others, signing a letter to the White House and Congressional leaders that calls for an end to bulk collection of data. Many people and organizations have called for reform to the USA Patriot Act and this letter is the latest attempt to pile pressure on the government to make changes.

Scores of signatories point out that the USA PATRIOT Act Section 215 is due to expire in June, and now is the time to instigate reform. A call is made for greater privacy protection to be put in place when data is collected, as well as for improvements in transparency.

This is something that privacy advocates have been clamoring for for some time now and the number of high profile companies now calling on the government to take notice represents a united front fighting back on behalf of disillusioned customers and clients. The letter also stresses that reforms must allow for the declassification of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court decisions.

Writing on the Microsoft blog, Fred Humphries, the company's Vice President, U.S. Government Affairs said, "we understand that governments play a vital role in helping protect our communities, but we must do so in a way that protects the values we cherish. Nearly two years after government surveillance revelations came to light, the U.S. Government still has unfinished business to reduce the technology trust deficit it has created".

The letter concludes by saying:

It has been nearly two years since the first news stories revealed the scope of the United States' surveillance and bulk collection activities. Now is the time to take on meaningful legislative reforms to the nation’s surveillance programs that maintain national security while preserving privacy, transparency, and accountability. We strongly encourage both the White House and Members of Congress to support the above reforms and oppose any efforts to enact any legislation that does not address them.

Photo credit: Lisa S. / Shutterstock

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