NSA chief supports tech firms disclosing more on PRISM requests

Gen. Keith Alexander, director of the National Security Agency, said he supports allowing technology companies to disclose more about their cooperation with national intelligence authorities.

Gen Alexander made the comments during at a security forum at the Aspen Institute. "We just want to make sure that we do it right, that we don't impact anything with the FBI," Alexander said. More than 60 technology companies including Apple, Google and Facebook and other organizations Thursday sent a letter to the Obama administration, national intelligence authorities and Congress urging more transparency on national security requests for user data. The companies are asking permission to report on the number and scope of user data requests. The letter also asked Congress to pass legislation that would let companies disclose user data requests without having to first seek permission from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which oversees the requests.