How far we trust Google or other social network sites that the personal data in that will not be used by the Government?

We cannot trust anymore!

We may entertain suspicion that the data may be used but the technology companies know it for sure that it is being hacked by the Governments.

The big companies like Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, AOL and Linkedln wrote an open letter today to the US President Barrack Obama and the US Congress to reform the surveillance laws.

The letter says, "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?- rights that are enshrined in our Constitution. This undermines the freedoms we all cherish. It's time for a change. We urge the US 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."

Those companies are afraid of their credibility is being shaken in the public as they cannot protect the data of the public from getting it used by the Government in the name of surveillance or security or any other thing.

Snowden’s leaks to selected news papers for the last six months show a large scale spying by US Government.

The open letter of technology companies suggest five guidelines to follow.

1. Government’s authority to collect user’s information should be limited,

2. Increase oversight and accountability of intelligence activities,

3. More transparency concerning government demands for information,

4. Respect for the free flow of information across border and

5. A call for a framework to govern information requests between countries.

-Srija