August 29, 2014

To President Obama and Members of the Privacy and Civi !iberties Oversight "oard#
$e, the undersigned former government officias, organi%ations, and members of Congress, &rite to
e'(ress our concerns about the )*+* government,s surveiance activities conducted under the authority
of -'ecutive Order 12...* Many invove communications that are (rotected by the )*+* Constitution,
and a im(icate internationa human rights a&, incuding the /nternationa Covenant on Civi and
Poitica 0ights, to &hich the )nited +tates is a (arty* These activities undermine the fundamenta
rights of internet users every&here*
$e ca on the President to decassify and ma1e (ubic a current and future ega o(inions or
inter(retations concerning surveiance under -'ecutive Order 12... and the surveiance2reated
reguations issued thereunder* +ecret a& is a threat to democracy*
$e further ca on the President to ensure that there is no dis(ro(ortionate or unnecessary coection or
retention of users, communications and (ersona information and to im(ement meaningfu (rivacy
(rotections for a users, )*+* and foreign, in surveiance activities conducted under -*O* 12...,
incuding the (rivacy recommendations of the President,s 0evie& 3rou( on /nteigence and
Communications Technoogies*
$e ca on both the President and the Privacy and Civi !iberties Oversight "oard to engage in a
searching e'amination of surveiance under -*O* 12..., to insist u(on decassification of information
that &oud he( the (ubic understand the nature and e'tent of this surveiance, and to suggest
mechanisms and s(ecific ste(s to im(ement the above recommendations as soon as (ossibe*
$e &i continue to &or1 to buid su((ort for further (rivacy (rotections for a users in surveiance
activities conducted under -*O* 12...*
4or 5uestions or foo&u(, (ease contact Amie +te(anovich# amie6accessno&*org
+incerey,
Members of Congress
0e(resentative 7ohn Conyers
0e(resentative Aan 3rayson
0e(resentative 0ush 8ot
0e(resentative 9oe !ofgren
Former Government Officials
-d 4eten, former 4TC Chief Technoogist
/an +chuer, former +tate :e(artment officia
7ohn Tye, former +tate :e(artment officia
Organizations
Access
Advocacy for Princi(ed Action in 3overnment
American Civi !iberties )nion
American !ibrary Association
American2Arab Anti2:iscrimination Committee ;A:C<
Amnesty /nternationa
Association for Progressive Communications
Avaa%
Cam(aign for :igita 4ourth Amendment 0ights
Center for :emocracy and Technoogy
Center for :igita :emocracy
Constitutiona Aiance
Counci on American2/samic 0eations
Cyber Privacy Pro=ect
:efending :issent 4oundation
:emand Progress
:o&nsi%e:C*org
-ectronic 4rontier 4oundation
-ectronic Privacy /nformation Center ;-P/C<
4ree Press Action 4und
4reedom of the Press 4oundation
3oba >et&or1 /nitiative
3overnment Accountabiity Pro=ect
8uman 0ights $atch
!ibertarian Party
Media Aiance
>ationa Association of Crimina :efense !a&yers
>ationa Coaition Against Censorshi(
>ationa +ecurity Counseors
O(en >et ;?orea<
O(en Technoogy /nstitute at >e& America 4oundation
O(enMedia*org
O(enThe3overnment*org
P-> American Center
Pro=ect on 3overnment Oversight ;PO3O<
0estore the 4ourth
0ootsAction*org
+amueson23ush1o Canadian /nternet Poicy @ Pubic /nterest Cinic ;C/PP/C<
+ient Circe
+tudent >et Aiance
+unight 4oundation
Thought$or1s
$ord Press 4reedom Committee
$ord Privacy 4orum
$ord $ide $eb 4oundation
A2!ab at >e& America 4oundation