EPIC Submits Statement to Congress on Google-NSA Relationship

This was written by Michael W. Cheek on Thursday, February 11, 2010, 17:17.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has issued a statement to the House Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the recent revelations surrounding the Google-NSA relationship.The statement asked the Committee to conduct an investigation into the relationship between Google and NSA, urged the Committee to support the ratification of the Council of Europe privacy convention and requested that the classified document granting NSA broad surveillance rights in cyberspace be made public.

“Hostile governments and computer criminals pose a real threat to U.S. firms operating online. As cyber security becomes more critical to U.S. firms, the U.S. must also ensure the privacy and security of the customers of U.S. firms. A security policy that lacks a strong commitment to privacy protection will create new problems,” the letter said.

Earlier this month, The New New Internet learned that Google had invited the National Security Agency (NSA) to investigate the cyber attacks against the search engine in December. At the time of the announcement, the NSA refused to comment on the relationship but stated that it has partnered with private organizations in the past.

The full text of the letter can be viewed here