The US president Barack Obama has reportedly promised that the government's highly-controversial 'snoop-op' will have 'appropriate reforms' in order to have more transparency but did not indicate if there will be any end to the surveillance programme.
According to the BBC, Obama urged appointing a lawyer to challenge the government at the nation's secretive surveillance court (FISA) and also proposed 'safeguards against abuse' which include tweaks to the legislation on the collection of 'metadata'.
Obama said that he would work with the Congress to reform Section 215 of the Bush-era Patriot Act, which governs the programme that collects telephone records.
On whistleblower Edward Snowden whose revelations led to US' fall out with other nations including crucial allies, Obama said that he did not believe if Snowden was a patriot and asked the US 'fugitive' to defend his actions.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app