PRISM

PRISM is a classified National Security Agency surveillance program first revealed to the public through documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden in June 2013. The program operates under the legal authority of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and is designed to collect internet communications from foreign targets located outside the United States.

The program involves the collection of data from major technology companies including Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Yahoo, and others. According to leaked NSA documents, PRISM allows the agency to access emails, chat logs, videos, photos, stored data, file transfers, and video conferencing from these platforms, though the exact technical mechanisms and scope of access remain partially classified.

Technology companies initially denied providing the NSA with direct access to their servers, leading to confusion about how the program operates. Subsequent disclosures revealed that companies comply with specific court orders and legal processes rather than providing unfettered access to their systems, though the distinction between direct access and legally compelled cooperation became a significant point of public debate.

The PRISM program is overseen by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA Court) and is subject to various legal constraints, including requirements that targets be foreign persons located outside the United States. However, the program has been criticized for its potential to collect communications involving U.S. citizens when they communicate with foreign targets.

The revelation of PRISM sparked international controversy over government surveillance programs, leading to diplomatic tensions with allied nations, legal challenges to the program's authority, and reforms to surveillance oversight procedures. The program continues to operate under modified legal authorities and enhanced oversight mechanisms established in response to the Snowden disclosures.