Google has started making it difficult and costly for the intelligence arms of various governments and National Security Agency (NSA) to be able to grab hold of data. The search giant is on the road to make it difficult for NSA to penetrate their systems. After Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA was on to the web giant and has exploited it quite brilliantly, Google has been fast closing the cracks in its system to prevent the NSA from breaching its security. They have been helping their customers in coding data and setting up their own emails. Such steps to prevent the piercing of systems have been taken by Yahoo, Microsoft and Facebook.
These technology companies have worked with the government for years but have decided to put a halt to this cooperation with Moscow, Washington and Beijing in particular. Because people are now scared that their privacy might get invaded, the governments in Germany and Brazil have also threatened to stop working with these technology companies and provide data only to local companies. To prevent the further invasion of the customer’s privacy, Google is laying a fiber optic cable beneath the oceans. This project originally was supposed to help it spread its influence and reduce costs but now it would also serve to keep tabs on the customer’s actions.
Since Snowden let out that NSA was exploiting information, companies have stopped cooperating. As per the prevailing law, Telecommunications companies have refused to provide data. Companies such as Verizon, AT&T and various others are not very enthusiastic to cooperate with the US Government in places where the law does not compel them to do so. It was reported by Vodafone, the cell phone giant, that the government had requested direct access to its communication networks. However, this move had incited outrage from numerous privacy advocate groups.
On being asked about the nations who requested direct access, Vodafone made no comments as it did not want to put its business at risk. Furthermore, it concluded that despite the fact that some companies issued legal warrants, others did not even bother to do so but said that the agencies responsible already have everlasting access into the customer’s action via their own link. The company also added that there were some laws that forced them to hand over data to the governments otherwise it would have lost its license which enables it to operate in particular countries.
It was suggested by the security chief at Google, Eric Grosse that NSA itself was responsible or the lack of cooperation it was getting. The officials in Washington too acknowledged that it was difficult for them to carry out secret operation because the US Technology companies have denied providing help that they once did in fear of losing business overseas. An agent at NSA noted that the companies are suffering great loss because of their lack of interest in providing data and their refusal to cooperate with other companies, even legally.