The Obama administration has announced its plan to end the government's bulk collection of data regarding phone calls made in the U.S., including procedures to get judicial approval before asking companies for those records, according to a report by Reuters.
Phone companies would have to provide data from their records quickly and in a usable format, under the plan, when requested by the government.
It would also let the government ask for data without a court order in the event of a national security emergency.
"I am confident that this approach can provide our intelligence and law enforcement professionals the information they need to keep us safe while addressing the legitimate privacy concerns that have been raised," President Barack Obama said in a statement about the plan, according to Reuters.
The plan still needs approval by Congress before it can be put into action.
The U.S. government started collecting "metadata" after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.
Metadata includes when the calls were made, how long they lasted, and which telephone number called which other number, according to Reuters. It does not include the content of the calls, however.
"The second thing that people were concerned about is making sure that not only is a judge overseeing the overall program but also that a judge is looking at each individual inquiry that's made into a database, and this new plan that's been presented to me does that," Obama added. "So overall, I'm confident that it allows us to do what is necessary in order to deal with the dangers of a terrorist attack, but does so in a way that addresses some of the concerns that people had raised. And I'm looking forward to working with Congress to make sure we go ahead and pass the enabling legislation quickly, so that we can get on with the business of effective law enforcement."
Obama has been under intense scrutiny to cut back on surveillance since former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden disclosed classified information last year, sparking an international debate.
Those who like the current program claim it helps the government find connections between people planning attacks overseas along with co-conspirators in the U.S. Critics meanwhile feel it is an infringement on privacy rights.
The proposed program would require phone companies to turn over data associated with a number on an "ongoing and prospective" basis, according to a senior administration official, who spoke with Reuters.
"Companies would be compelled to provide technical assistance to the government to query the records, and may be compensated in a way that is consistent with current procedures," according to Reuters.
The Obama administration will ask the court to allow it to operate the current program another 90 days as Congress mulls over its decision.
"We would hope that the Congress would take something up very expeditiously," the official said.
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