It was only a couple of days ago when details about the NSA’s PRISM program were leaked online, the implication being made is that the NSA acquires information from U.S. tech companies such as Microsoft, Facebook, Apple, Yahoo etc. Now, The Guardian reports based on documents it has obtained that UK’s Government Communications Headquarters or GCHQ has also been gaining information from aforementioned companies through the PRISM program.
The documents reveal that just last year some 197 intelligence reports were generated, alleging that GCHQ has had access to this system since June 2010. Apparently PRISM allows GCHQ to go around the due legal process that must be followed if information such as photos, videos and emails are to be acquired from a company not based in the UK. While it is said that the companies co-operated with NSA for its PRISM program, many have flat out denied even knowing about this platform, such statements have come from Mark Zuckerberg, Marissa Mayer and Larry Page, to name a few. While the GCHQ insists that its takes “its obligations under the law very seriously,” there’s no information as yet regarding how many British ministers knew that this has apparently been going on.