'Now Is the Time': Tech Giants Urge Congress to Pass NSA Reform

Google, Apple and other big names in consumer technology are imploring Congress to pass a bill to curb the surveillance powers of the National Security Agency. More than a year after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked classified documents detailing the breadth of NSA spying powers, the U.S. Senate this week is expected to begin weighing the USA Freedom Act. The bill sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., would set limits on the bulk collection of Americans’ Internet data. Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Apple, Twitter and other tech giants on Sunday sent an open letter to the Senate imploring it to reform government surveillance techniques. “Since forming the Reform Government Surveillance coalition last year, our companies have continued to invest in strengthening the security of our services and increasing transparency,” the letter said. “Now, the Senate has the opportunity to send a strong message of change to the world and encourage other countries to adopt similar protections.”

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For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCentrist think tank warns 2028 Democrats against swinging too far left on immigration

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRussia’s secrecy after a mysterious plague lab death raises global alarm

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAfter surviving a botched lethal injection, Christa Pike faces unprecedented legal battle

FOR SUBSCRIBERSHunger in a land of plenty: Major food banks face ‘heartbreaking’ need, NBC News survey finds

FOR SUBSCRIBERSInflation and tariffs push U.S. holiday spending projections to a record $1.7 trillion

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWhat happened inside the room where officials tried to execute Christa Pike by lethal injection

FOR SUBSCRIBERSHow we reported the saga of the CIA officer and his gold-bar stash

FOR SUBSCRIBERSBrad Raffensperger gears up to oversee his final election in Georgia

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDiddy is punished following NBC News report on his VIP life in prison and contraband cellphone use

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘Too young to vote, old enough to be tear gassed’: French protesters’ anger swells

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDOJ gets aggressive in suing states that challenge Trump’s immigration policies

FOR SUBSCRIBERSJustice Department seeks criminal charge for former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘I just want to hold him’: USS Lincoln sailor to meet his 10-month-old son as ship docks

FOR SUBSCRIBERSSenate candidates run on raising Social Security taxes for higher incomes to prevent benefit cuts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRussian operation that used ChatGPT tricked schools, a politician and media, OpenAI says

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