Microsoft, Google join forces to demand FISA transparency

American multinational software corporation Microsoft's general counsel has said that efforts by the company and Google Inc. to reach an accord with the US department of Justice on its now-secret information requests have stalled.

According to Fox News, Brad Smith expressed that Microsoft was disappointed that the negotiations ended in failure.

The report said that technology companies had made a demand that they should be allowed to reveal Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court orders they receive.

Since both Microsoft and Google filed suit to address the issue in June, they agreed six times to extend the government's deadline to respond, the report added.

US officials on Thursday said they would begin disclosing yearly numbers on national-security requests for data on online users, which Smith called a 'good start,' but not still insufficient, the report further said.