Apple, Microsoft and Facebook targeted in Europe for NSA spying ties

A European data protection group has filed complaints against Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Skype and Yahoo for their alleged cooperation with the NSA’s Prism surveillance program. The group, known as Europe v Facebook, is specifically targeting the European subsidiaries of the five U.S. companies, claiming they violated European data protection laws. Due to the corporate structure of these companies, the group argues that they must adhere to European privacy laws despite being headquartered in the United States. The activists are seeking a “clear statement by the authorities if a European company may simply give foreign intelligence agencies access to its customer data.” EvF spokesperson Max Schrems noted that if these actions turn out to be legal, it may be time to change the law.