Apple And Other Tech Giants Will Run National Print Ad Demanding NSA Reforms

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Since revelations of NSA eavesdropping surfaced earlier this year with the Edward Snowden leaks, Apple has been at the forefront of a tech company push-back demanding reforms.

The company is joining a number of other industry giant — including Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Microsoft, LinkedIn and AOL — in setting aside business rivalries to demand a scaling back of government surveillance.

Together the companies have penned an open letter to President Obama and members of Congress, which will run today (Monday) as a national print ad.

In part, the letter reads:

“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.

We urge the U.S. 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 companies said in the statement, which was addressed to President Barack Obama and members of Congress.”

This isn’t the first time Apple has put its name to a similar campaign. In October Apple signed an open letter demanding “accountability” on the part of the NSA, while another was sent in July asking for transparency regarding wiretapping.

Source: The Hill

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