Tech Giants Rally Behind Landmark NSA Reform Bill
Leahy’s USA FREEDOM Act Gains Industry Support
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced a strengthened version of the USA FREEDOM Act to the Senate on Tuesday, marking a potential turning point in government surveillance reform. The bill arrives after widespread criticism of a weaker House version passed earlier this year.
What the Bill Proposes
Key provisions of Leahy’s legislation include:
- Ending bulk data collection under Section 215 of the Patriot Act
- Establishing a special advocate within the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC)
- Implementing transparency measures for surveillance activities
- Mandating destruction of irrelevant collected data
- Requiring declassification of some FISC opinions
“This represents the most significant surveillance reform since the Patriot Act 13 years ago,” said Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Why Tech Companies Are Supporting It
A coalition of major technology firms including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook (through Reform Government Surveillance) endorsed the bill after withdrawing support from the House version. The group stated:
“This bill will help restore trust in the Internet by ending bulk metadata collection and increasing transparency around U.S. surveillance practices.”
The legislation specifically targets the controversial phone metadata program revealed by Edward Snowden’s 2013 disclosures about NSA activities.
Limitations and Criticisms
While privacy advocates applaud the bill’s progress, some note remaining concerns:
- The special advocate cannot appeal rulings
- “Backdoor” searches of U.S. citizen communications remain permitted
- No reforms addressing Section 702 surveillance abuses
The ACLU called it “a big f—ing deal” (quoting Vice President Biden) while acknowledging its narrow focus on Section 215 reforms.
Congressional and Industry Reactions
Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), who co-sponsored the original bill, praised Leahy’s version for restoring key privacy provisions lost in the House.
Microsoft’s Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith highlighted the bill’s allowance for companies to be more transparent about government data requests.
What Comes Next
The bill establishes:
- Enhanced reporting requirements to Congress
- Public disclosure of surveillance statistics
- Clearer oversight of intelligence community activities
Read the full text of the USA FREEDOM Act
Image credit: Andrew Malone (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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