Surveillance court snubs Verizon's challenge to NSA's phone data collection program

Verizon's attempt to challenge the NSA's phone call surveillance program ended in disappointment as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) ultimately ruled against the telecom giant.

According to PC World, Verizon filed a legal motion against the NSA's phone records collection program in January-the first time a company took legal action against the NSA's surveillance program, declassified government documents have revealed.

The court ruling stated that there is no actual expectation of privacy in the phone numbers people dial.

The court decision countered an earlier ruling from US District Court Judge Richard Leon, who ruled that the NSA's telephone record collection program may be unconstitutional.

Judge Leon had stated that the Smith v. Maryland ruling didn't apply because of some key differences between the Smith case and the NSA's mass surveillance program, the report adds.