Unfinished business on government surveillance reform

Since news reports surfaced about US government surveillance practices, a lot has changed. And there even have been some initial positive reforms.

We all want to live in a safe and secure world and governments --including the US government -- play a vital role in helping to protect our communities. But the reality is clear. The US Government needs to address important unfinished business to reduce the technology trust deficit it has created. There are five things the US government still needs to do:

1. Recognize that US search warrants end at US borders
2. End bulk collection
3. Reform the FISA Court
4. Commit not to hack data centers or cables
5. Continue to increase transparency

While the focus today is on the actions the US government needs to take, it is clear that many of the issues and solutions to them are international in nature. We need an international effort to restore the trust of Internet users and strike the right balance between privacy and security. That’s why we remain committed to the creation of new international legal frameworks. Around the world, governments are increasingly recognizing the need for such action, and now it’s time for people to roll up their sleeves and pursue them.

[Smith is General Counsel & Executive Vice President, Legal & Corporate Affairs, Microsoft]