By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/us-tech-companies-full-knowledge-nsa-spying-agencys-lawyer-says Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter U.S. tech companies had full knowledge of NSA spying, agency’s lawyer says Nation Mar 19, 2014 6:19 PM EDT According to Rajesh De, general counsel for the National Security Agency, U.S. technology companies had full knowledge of the NSA’s bulk data collection. During a hearing Wednesday, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, asked whether the metadata, collected under Section 702 of the 2008 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act occurred “with the full knowledge and assistance of any company from which information is obtained.” De said yes, adding that the surveillance program Prism, was an “internal government term” that became a public one as a result of documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. “Collection under this program was a compulsory legal process, that any recipient company would receive,” he said. Technology companies, including Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, AOL, YouTube, Apple, denied involvement with the NSA surveillance program and said the agency did not have backdoor access to their customers’ data. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas is a senior editor for the PBS NewsHour's Communities Initiative. He's also the senior editor and manager of newsletters. @Josh_Barrage
According to Rajesh De, general counsel for the National Security Agency, U.S. technology companies had full knowledge of the NSA’s bulk data collection. During a hearing Wednesday, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, asked whether the metadata, collected under Section 702 of the 2008 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act occurred “with the full knowledge and assistance of any company from which information is obtained.” De said yes, adding that the surveillance program Prism, was an “internal government term” that became a public one as a result of documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. “Collection under this program was a compulsory legal process, that any recipient company would receive,” he said. Technology companies, including Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, AOL, YouTube, Apple, denied involvement with the NSA surveillance program and said the agency did not have backdoor access to their customers’ data. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now