US Tech Groups Tell Senate: Curb US Surveillance To Restore Trust, Markets

Leading US trade associations representing the high-technology industry yesterday issued a joint letter urging the Senate to pass reforms to US surveillance programmes. The effort comes after revelations about the US surveillance have harmed overseas markets for US technologies, they said.

The 8 September letter, available here from CCIA, was addressed to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and sent to all members. It urged support for the bipartisan USA Freedom Act, S 2685, introduced on 29 July by four senators, including Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy, Democrat from Vermont.

“The revelations about the US government’s surveillance programs that began in June of 2013
have led to an erosion of public trust in the US government and the US technology sector,” the letter states.

“In an effort to begin restoring that trust, the USA FREEDOM Act will prevent the bulk collection of Internet metadata, call detail records, and other tangible things in a manner that both enhances privacy and protects national security,” it says. “We note that in a recent letter to Chairman Leahy, Attorney General Holder and Director of National Intelligence Clapper pointed out that the USA FREEDOM Act ‘enhances privacy and civil liberties and increases transparency’ yet at the same time, it ‘preserves essential Intelligence Community capabilities.'”

The reform effort is aimed at countering a global lashback against US technology, and eroding transparency.

“As a result of the surveillance program revelations, US technology companies have experienced negative economic implications in overseas markets,” they said. “In addition, other countries are considering proposals that would limit data flows between countries, which would have a negative impact on the efficiencies upon which the borderless Internet relies.”

Signers of the letter include: BSA The Software Alliance, the Computer and Communications Industry Association, Information Technology Industry Council, Reform Government Surveillance, and the Software and Information Industry Association.

Image Credits: Flickr – Mike Licht