Has encryption technology given the bad guys a way to operate in the dark? Or has the new tech age gifted law enforcement with unprecedented surveillance powers?
The US National Security Agency's electronic snooping led to "well over 100 arrests" and helped smash numerous terrorist plots, a privacy review panel said.
An Internet freedom coalition backed by US technology giants asked Thursday for 21 countries to release information on national security and law enforcement data requests.
The startup behind popular smartphone apps for sharing contacts, pictures or other data by "bumping" smartphones together announced on Monday that it has been bought by Google.
Internet users are taking a fresh look at "privacy" search engines that do not store data or track online activity, in light of the flap over US government surveillance.
Internet giants Facebook and Microsoft say they received thousands of requests for data from US authorities last year but are prohibited from disclosing how many related to national security.