Tech companies band together against NSA spying

SEATTLE -- Eight major tech companies sent an open letter to the federal government, demanding a change to surveillance practices.

According to The Los Angeles Times, the companies behind the effort are AOL, Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Twitter and Yahoo. They called their alliance the Reform Government Surveillance coalition.

In the letter, the companies expressed that while they understand the government's need to protect Americans, they believe that current laws and practices need to be reformed.

As the Times reported, surveillance has become a much-discussed issue following the leak of documents by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. The companies involved in the coalition have been named as sources from which the government takes digital information in its surveillance practices.

According to The Times, many internet companies worry that data surveillance will keep users from sharing their information if they think they are being spied upon. One Microsoft executive said that people do not want to use technology that they cannot trust.

More information about the Reform Government Surveillance coalition can be found on its website here.