American coalition Digital Due Process, which includes well-known companies such as Google, Microsoft, eBay, Intel, Aol., At&t and others, calls for a review of legislation relating to the access of government organizations to the private data of Internet users reports BBC.
Over the past twenty years, the development of technology has made a huge leap forward and legislative acts do not always have time to adequately respond to changes. In particular, according to the members of the coalition, the revision is subject to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), which was issued in 1986. This act regulates the question of what kind of data can be used by various government organizations and describes the procedures for accessing such data.
One example of the requirements of the coalition is the requirement to tighten the procedure for accessing users' emails and messages that are stored online, to introduce the mandatory presence of a court order, in contrast to the overly simplified procedure that is current today.
Negotiations with representatives of government organizations, the FBI, the White House administration have just begun and the coalition members cannot count on quick success, but the process is gaining momentum and an increasing number of individuals and organizations in the United States are joining the fight to protect private information.
