On Friday executives of several large US internet companies, including Facebook Inc and Google, met President of United States Barack Obama on Friday to discuss their concerns over government surveillance programs.
Obama and senior aides met six tech executives to discuss issues surrounding intelligence, technology and privacy, the White House said in a statement following the meeting.
Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, the world's largest Internet search engine; Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Facebook, the world's biggest social network; and Reed Hastings, chief executive officer of Netflix Inc, an online video streaming service, were among those attending the meeting, the White House said. Other attendees are Aaron Levie and Drew Houston, chief executive officers of two online storage and file-sharing companies Box and Dropbox; and Alex Karp, chief executive officer of Palantir Technologies, a data-mining company which is partly backed by the CIA and whose clients include the National Security Agency.
The president sought to provide reassurances that the administration is putting in place reforms to intelligence collection after revelations of widespread collection of data stirred outrage.
"The president reiterated his administration's commitment to taking steps that can give people greater confidence that their rights are being protected while preserving important tools that keep us safe," the White House said.
But Facebook's Zuckerberg, a public critic of government data gathering practices, said that more needed to be done. An industry source said invitations to Friday's meeting with Obama were received on 15 March, two days after Zuckerberg blasted US electronic surveillance practices in a widely read public post on Facebook.
"I've called President Obama to express my frustration over the damage the government is creating for all of our future. Unfortunately, it seems like it will take a very long time for true full reform," Zuckerberg wrote.
Some of the largest US technology companies, including Google, its rival Yahoo Inc, social networking site Twitter Inc and others, have been pushing for more transparency, oversight and restrictions to US government's gathering of intelligence.
Executives from several other companies, including Yahoo and LinkedIn Corp, were said to be unable to attend Friday's meeting because of scheduling conflicts.
Obama and senior aides met six tech executives to discuss issues surrounding intelligence, technology and privacy, the White House said in a statement following the meeting.
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, right, arrives at the White House. Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images
Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, the world's largest Internet search engine; Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Facebook, the world's biggest social network; and Reed Hastings, chief executive officer of Netflix Inc, an online video streaming service, were among those attending the meeting, the White House said. Other attendees are Aaron Levie and Drew Houston, chief executive officers of two online storage and file-sharing companies Box and Dropbox; and Alex Karp, chief executive officer of Palantir Technologies, a data-mining company which is partly backed by the CIA and whose clients include the National Security Agency.
The president sought to provide reassurances that the administration is putting in place reforms to intelligence collection after revelations of widespread collection of data stirred outrage.
"The president reiterated his administration's commitment to taking steps that can give people greater confidence that their rights are being protected while preserving important tools that keep us safe," the White House said.
But Facebook's Zuckerberg, a public critic of government data gathering practices, said that more needed to be done. An industry source said invitations to Friday's meeting with Obama were received on 15 March, two days after Zuckerberg blasted US electronic surveillance practices in a widely read public post on Facebook.
"I've called President Obama to express my frustration over the damage the government is creating for all of our future. Unfortunately, it seems like it will take a very long time for true full reform," Zuckerberg wrote.
Some of the largest US technology companies, including Google, its rival Yahoo Inc, social networking site Twitter Inc and others, have been pushing for more transparency, oversight and restrictions to US government's gathering of intelligence.
Executives from several other companies, including Yahoo and LinkedIn Corp, were said to be unable to attend Friday's meeting because of scheduling conflicts.
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