Tag: US

Investors taking note that government spying “threatens the foundation” of many technology companies’ business models.

Yesterday, the European Parliament passed a Resolution calling for the suspension of a counter-terrorism agreement with the U.S., following recent allegations that the U.S. has breached the privacy safeguards of the agreement, and in doing so, the privacy of millions of E.U.’s citizens.

Among the many revelations to come out of this summer, The New York Times recently announced that the NSA has been conducting a systematic and well-funded effort to install “backdoors” in consumer electronic devices, known as “Project Bullrun.” To better understand their history, how they can work, and the risks associated, here are three things you ought to know about backdoors.

Coming on the heels of an announcement yesterday that the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence will start releasing a transparency report of national security-related requests for user data, the US government disappointingly will be filing a motion to block Google and Microsoft from voluntarily disclosing similar statistics in the company’s own transparency reports.

Today, Facebook released its first Global Government Requests Report detailing the number of requests for user data the company receives from governments around the world.

Taking advantage of a recent easing in U.S. sanctions on the export of technology to Iran, yesterday Google announced that it would make its Play Store available to Iranian users.

This week, Access joined with 65 organizations and individuals from 25 countries to urge the U.S. Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) to consider the global human rights implications of the U.S. National Security Agency’s (NSA) surveillance programs.

Over the last few weeks, nearly every day has brought with it a new disclosure in the NSA surveillance scandal: a new target uncovered or a new foreign government intelligence agency found to be complicit. Yet, with limited public outcry in the United States, one can’t help but wonder if — and why — citizens of other Western democracies may be more offended over this spying than Americans themselves. But Despite the differences in public expectations, will these disclosures, and ensuing outcry, lead to concrete (and much needed) reforms on privacy? (English translation of article published in German in Frankfurter Allgemeine on August 10, 2013).

Expressing concern about public confidence in the U.S. National Security Agency, President Obama announced today four proposals to reform U.S. surveillance practice. However, even if enacted, these proposals would still fail to actually protect the basic civil liberties of U.S. and non-U.S. persons.