Top tech companies, including Alphabet Inc.'s Google, Meta Platforms Inc., and Apple Inc., are mounting a push to limit how US intelligence agencies collect and view texts, emails, and other information about their users, especially American citizens 1.

These companies want Congress to limit Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) as they work to renew the law before it expires at the end of the year. There is a growing bipartisan consensus in Congress to not only renew the law but to make changes in response to a series of reports and internal audits documenting abuses 1.

Section 702 of FISA was passed by Congress in 2008 in response to revelations of warrantless spying on US citizens by the Bush administration. It granted sweeping powers that have been criticized over the years for different reasons. Civil liberties groups think more privacy protections are needed, while some claim that spying powers enable intelligence agencies to conspire against certain groups 1.

Tech companies have an economic incentive to seek restraints on what the government can force them to do. Their relationship with US agencies was criticized after former government contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden exposed how immense the global spying apparatus had become during the Obama administration 1.

In conclusion, big tech companies are pushing for limits on how US intelligence agencies collect and view user data. They want Congress to make changes to Section 702 of FISA as they work to renew the law before it expires at the end of the year.