Eight major technology companies have taken a stand against the way the United States government collects information from private citizens with a letter directed to leaders in Washington.
Signed by officials from AOL Inc., Apple Inc., Facebook Inc., Google Inc., LinkedIn Corp., Microsoft Corp., Twitter Inc. and Yahoo! Inc., the letter to Washington asked for major changes in the wake of documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
Most of the companies that signed the letter were listed as surveillance targets when the federal government uses such sites to extract information, the Los Angeles Times reported.
"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," reads the letter to President Barack Obama and members of Congress. "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."
In an effort to keep protective government from becoming invasive, the eight companies signing the letter are asking for "sensible limitations on their ability to compel service providers to disclose user data."
The companies are concerned that people will stop using their services if they believe the government is always watching.
"People won't use technology they don't trust," wrote Brad Smith general counsel and executive vice president at Microsoft. "Governments have put this trust at risk, and governments need to help restore it."
The group of tech companies is also launching a website to further the cause and have published quotes from the coalition's leaders.
"Reports about government surveillance have shown there is a real need for greater disclosure and new limits on how governments collect information," said Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook. "The U.S. government should take this opportunity to lead this reform effort and make things right."
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