U.S. tapping Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Skype, Apple, and more

U.S. National Security Agency Headquarters

June 7^th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com)  On the heels of revelations that U.S. authorities were collecting the call records of millions of Verizon telephone users in the United States, a stunning top-secret document has emerged, which claims that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has direct access to the servers of Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Skype, Apple and other Internet giants.

The top-secret document was obtained by The Guardian, which says it has verified its authenticity.  The 41-slide Powerpoint presentation was apparently used to train intelligence operatives on the capabilities of the program.  The program was so secret, it was classified in such a way to even prevent disclosure of the program to foreign allies.

The top-secret program, PRISM, claims that it collects search histories, email contents, file transfers, live chats, and video and audio calls made over services like Skype. PRISM apparently began operation in 2007.

While the document claims that the program is ran with the assistance of the companies involved, companies like Google and Facebook are denying any knowledge of the program.  “If they are doing this, they are doing it without our knowledge,” one tech executive said.

Together, the companies involved cover the vast majority of online email, search, video and communications networks.