The web giant, along with a host of other internet companies and mobile operators, has been caught in the crossfire from the fallout of the Edward Snowden leaks concerning the National Security Agency’s spying activities and data collection.
Google, Facebook and Yahoo! have already distanced themselves from being compliant in the extensive surveillance, but in an interview with the Guardian, Google’s chief legal officer David Drummond said: “It's high time that governments get together and decide some rules around [secret data gathering].
“Remember that this is not just about the US government, but European and other governments too. It's really important that all of us give close scrutiny to any laws that give governments increased power to sift through user data."
Drummond also added Google were not “in cahoots” with the NSA and reiterated they had not allowed direct access to their systems as had been suggested in a PowerPoint presentation leaked from the NSA by Snowden.
The other eight companies who were also suggested as granting direct access to their servers were Microsoft, AOL, Yahoo!, Apple, Skype, PalTalk, YouTube and Facebook.
