This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25785573
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Obama orders curbs on NSA data use | Obama orders curbs on NSA data use |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| President Barack Obama has ordered curbs on the use of bulk data collected by US intelligence agencies, saying civil liberties must be respected. | President Barack Obama has ordered curbs on the use of bulk data collected by US intelligence agencies, saying civil liberties must be respected. |
| Mr Obama said such data had prevented terror attacks at home and abroad, but that in tackling threats the government risked over-reaching itself. | |
| However civil liberties groups have said the changes do not go far enough. | However civil liberties groups have said the changes do not go far enough. |
| The announcement follows global anger after details of the work of US intelligence agencies were leaked. | The announcement follows global anger after details of the work of US intelligence agencies were leaked. |
| Edward Snowden, the former contractor at the US National Security Agency (NSA) who leaked the information, is wanted in the US for espionage and is now living in exile in Russia. | Edward Snowden, the former contractor at the US National Security Agency (NSA) who leaked the information, is wanted in the US for espionage and is now living in exile in Russia. |
| The leaked documents revealed that the US collects massive amounts of electronic data from communications of private individuals around the world, and that it has spied on foreign leaders. | The leaked documents revealed that the US collects massive amounts of electronic data from communications of private individuals around the world, and that it has spied on foreign leaders. |
| The latest revelations claim that US agencies have collected and stored almost 200 million text messages every day across the globe. | The latest revelations claim that US agencies have collected and stored almost 200 million text messages every day across the globe. |
| An NSA programme called Dishfire extracted and stored data from the SMS messages to gather location information, contacts and financial data, according to the Guardian newspaper and Channel 4 News. | An NSA programme called Dishfire extracted and stored data from the SMS messages to gather location information, contacts and financial data, according to the Guardian newspaper and Channel 4 News. |
| 'Rights are protected' | 'Rights are protected' |
| In his much-anticipated speech at the Department of Justice, Mr Obama said he would not apologise for the effectiveness of US intelligence operations, and insisted that nothing he had seen indicated they had sought to break the law. | In his much-anticipated speech at the Department of Justice, Mr Obama said he would not apologise for the effectiveness of US intelligence operations, and insisted that nothing he had seen indicated they had sought to break the law. |
| It was necessary for the US to continue collecting large amounts of data, he said, but acknowledged that doing so allowed for "the potential of abuse". | It was necessary for the US to continue collecting large amounts of data, he said, but acknowledged that doing so allowed for "the potential of abuse". |
| "The reforms I'm proposing today should give the American people greater confidence that their rights are being protected, even as our intelligence and law enforcement agencies maintain the tools they need to keep us safe," he said. | "The reforms I'm proposing today should give the American people greater confidence that their rights are being protected, even as our intelligence and law enforcement agencies maintain the tools they need to keep us safe," he said. |
| Details of the times, numbers and durations of phone calls - known as metadata - are currently collected and held by the NSA. But Mr Obama said he was ending that system "as it currently exists". | |
| He has asked the attorney general and the intelligence community to draw up plans for such metadata to be held by a third party, with the NSA required to seek legal permission before it could access them. | He has asked the attorney general and the intelligence community to draw up plans for such metadata to be held by a third party, with the NSA required to seek legal permission before it could access them. |
| A panel of independent privacy advocates would also sit on the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) which has responsibility for giving permission for mass surveillance programmes. | |
| Mr Obama also offered assurances to non-Americans, saying people around the world "should know that the United States is not spying on ordinary people who don't threaten our national security". | Mr Obama also offered assurances to non-Americans, saying people around the world "should know that the United States is not spying on ordinary people who don't threaten our national security". |
| "This applies to foreign leaders as well," he said, promising that from now on the US "will not monitor the communications of heads of state and government of our close friends and allies". | "This applies to foreign leaders as well," he said, promising that from now on the US "will not monitor the communications of heads of state and government of our close friends and allies". |
| That announcement follows revelations that the US had spied on friendly foreign leaders, including the personal mobile of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. | That announcement follows revelations that the US had spied on friendly foreign leaders, including the personal mobile of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. |
| But he was also critical of nations he said "feign surprise" over the leaks but "privately acknowledge that America has special responsibilities as the world's only superpower" and have used the information gathered for their own purposes. | But he was also critical of nations he said "feign surprise" over the leaks but "privately acknowledge that America has special responsibilities as the world's only superpower" and have used the information gathered for their own purposes. |
| 'Music on Titanic' | 'Music on Titanic' |
| Mr Obama said he would not "dwell on Mr Snowden's actions or his motivations", but warned that the "sensational way" the NSA details had come to light had potentially jeopardised US operations "for years to come". | Mr Obama said he would not "dwell on Mr Snowden's actions or his motivations", but warned that the "sensational way" the NSA details had come to light had potentially jeopardised US operations "for years to come". |
| Civil liberties groups see Mr Snowden as a hero for exposing what they see as official intrusions into private lives, but many Americans believe he has endangered American lives. | Civil liberties groups see Mr Snowden as a hero for exposing what they see as official intrusions into private lives, but many Americans believe he has endangered American lives. |
| Mr Obama reforms were welcomed as progress in some quarters, but others argued they did not go far enough in preventing to protect individuals. | Mr Obama reforms were welcomed as progress in some quarters, but others argued they did not go far enough in preventing to protect individuals. |
| "President Obama's surveillance adjustments will be remembered as music on the Titanic unless his administration adopts deeper reforms," said Steven W. Hawkins, executive director of Amnesty International USA. | "President Obama's surveillance adjustments will be remembered as music on the Titanic unless his administration adopts deeper reforms," said Steven W. Hawkins, executive director of Amnesty International USA. |
| "Shifting the storage of information does not address the fundamental problem: the collection of mass personal data in the first place," he said in a statement. | "Shifting the storage of information does not address the fundamental problem: the collection of mass personal data in the first place," he said in a statement. |