Evernote Removed from Anti-Surveillance Group Website

The PRISM Program and the Formation of Reform Government Surveillance

In 2013, allegations surfaced that eight technology firms had been facilitating the transfer of user data to the U.S. National Security Agency through the controversial PRISM program. These claims were based on classified government documents disclosed by Edward Snowden, an NSA whistleblower.

Subsequently, six months later, these companies established a coalition known as Reform Government Surveillance (RGS). The purpose of this alliance, as its name indicates, was to advocate for legislative changes concerning government surveillance practices.

Initial Goals and Founding Members

The core objective was to encourage lawmakers to restrict surveillance activities to specific, targeted threats. This contrasted with the broad collection of private data from American citizens. Greater oversight was also sought, alongside increased transparency regarding secret data requests received by the companies.

The initial members of RGS included Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo, and AOL (later acquired by Verizon Media, which currently owns TechCrunch). Over time, the coalition expanded to encompass Amazon, Dropbox, Evernote, Snap, and Zoom.

Evernote’s Unexplained Removal

Around June 2019, Evernote was quietly removed from the RGS website without any public announcement. Remarkably, this omission went unnoticed for two years, even by Evernote itself.

When contacted by TechCrunch for comment, an Evernote spokesperson stated, “We hadn’t realized our logo had been removed from the Reform Government Surveillance website.” They confirmed that the company remained a member of the coalition.

A Puzzling Discrepancy

Evernote had joined the coalition in October 2014, a year and a half after the initial revelations about PRISM. Notably, the company was not specifically mentioned in the leaked Snowden documents.

Nevertheless, Evernote’s participation was considered valuable, demonstrating growing support for surveillance reform beyond the companies initially implicated in the NSA leaks. The company’s most recent transparency report affirms its RGS membership and its support for reforming surveillance laws and data access practices – making its removal from the website particularly unusual.

Lack of Explanation from Other Members

TechCrunch inquired with other RGS member companies regarding the reason for Evernote’s removal. Responses were limited, with most companies either declining to comment or stating they were unaware of the situation.

A representative from one RGS company suggested that such occurrences are not uncommon, as companies frequently “drop in and out of trade associations.”

The Broader Context of Tech Company Advocacy

Government surveillance is a complex issue that has prompted some of the largest technology companies in Silicon Valley to advocate for change. Few tech firms have publicly supported increased government surveillance of their users, given the demand for greater privacy in their services.

Lobbying efforts are often undertaken by companies to advance their business interests, and government surveillance is one such area where collective action can be beneficial.

The Reason for Removal Revealed

The explanation for Evernote’s removal proved to be relatively straightforward.

According to an email from Monument Advocacy, a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm representing RGS, “Evernote has been a longtime member – but they were less active over the last couple of years, so we removed them from the website.” The firm indicated a desire to re-engage with Evernote in future collaborations.

Monument Advocacy’s Role and Lobbying Efforts

Monument Advocacy has been involved with RGS since its inception, lobbying Congress for changes to surveillance laws. Since 2014, the firm has spent $2.2 million on lobbying efforts, according to OpenSecrets.

These efforts focused on influencing legislation such as the Patriot Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). RGS supported the USA Freedom Act, which aimed to limit some NSA collection practices under the Patriot Act. However, it was unsuccessful in opposing the reauthorization of Section 702 of FISA, which allows the NSA to collect intelligence on foreigners outside the United States, and was renewed for six years in 2018.

Recent RGS Activity and Concerns

RGS has been relatively quiet in the past year, issuing only one statement regarding the importance of transatlantic data flows. This issue is of significant concern to tech companies, as disruptions to the current legal framework could potentially restrict access to their services for European users.

The statement emphasized RGS companies’ commitment to protecting user privacy and safeguarding personal data. It included the logos of Amazon, Apple, Dropbox, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Snap, Twitter, Verizon Media, and Zoom, but notably excluded Evernote.

Implications for Coalition Unity

The removal of Evernote from the website, despite its continued membership, does not project a strong image of corporate unity within the coalition. In an era where Big Tech struggles to present a unified front, such discrepancies are particularly noticeable.