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Tech Companies Tout Encryption, Privacy In Wake Of NSA Docs

Several high-profile tech companies are touting their security and privacy measures in response to NSA data collection practices.
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Several high-profile tech companies are increasing security and privacy in response to the National Security Agency's data collecting practices.

TIME reports tech titan Google has gone to expensive lengths to better protect its users' information.

"The search giant is laying a fiber optic cable under the world's oceans. ... The company is also encrypting more of its information to make it more secure." (Via TIME)

The New York Times says major tech companies have to act fast, because they're losing business overseas. "Places like Brazil and Germany have threatened to entrust data only to local providers."

Needless to say, companies are less-than-thrilled to have their business affected by government surveillance. 

The Times quotes Google's security chief as saying, "I am willing to help on the purely defensive side of things, but signals intercept is totally off the table. No hard feelings, but my job is to make their job hard." 

Tech Times reports Microsoft, which has asked the government to "reduce the technology trust deficit it has created," is taking steps to improve security as well.

"Microsoft is ... providing 2,048-bit encryption for all its products ... [it] has established transparency centers in foreign countries so that foreign government representatives can evaluate Microsoft's source codes and ensure that there are no 'back doors.'" (Via Tech Times)

And MIT Technology Review reports Facebook is just as focused on encryption. The company says "about 58 percent of the notification e-mails it sent out were encrypted."