Court documents unsealed Friday show Google, Yahoo, Facebook, and Microsoft are arguing that government gag orders that stop them from disclosing the number of national security requests they receive violate the companies’ First Amendment right to free speech.Leaks by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden that revealed how the government uses tech firms in its surveillance efforts have damaged their bottom lines and public reputations — particularly overseas. The companies have begun to push back against some government orders to stay silent.
www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/05/23/google-yahoo-facebook-and-microsoft-say-government-has-no-right-to-suppress-data-request-disclosures/
Google, Yahoo, Facebook and Microsoft say government has no right to suppress data request disclosures
Court documents unsealed Friday show Google, Yahoo, Facebook, and Microsoft are arguing that government gag orders that stop them from disclosing the number of national security requests they receive violate the companies’ First Amendment right to free speech.