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| Obama Offers Plan Meant to Ease Concerns on Surveillance | Obama Offers Plan Meant to Ease Concerns on Surveillance |
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| WASHINGTON — President Obama on Friday sought to get his administration ahead of the roiling debate over National Security Agency surveillance, releasing new information about spying activities and calling for changes aimed at bolstering public confidence that the programs do not intrude too far into Americans’ privacy. | WASHINGTON — President Obama on Friday sought to get his administration ahead of the roiling debate over National Security Agency surveillance, releasing new information about spying activities and calling for changes aimed at bolstering public confidence that the programs do not intrude too far into Americans’ privacy. |
| At a time when leaks by the former N.S.A. contractor Edward J. Snowden have ripped the veil from the agency’s expansive spying both inside the United States and abroad, Mr. Obama held a news conference at which he conceded a need for greater openness and safeguards over vast American surveillance efforts. | At a time when leaks by the former N.S.A. contractor Edward J. Snowden have ripped the veil from the agency’s expansive spying both inside the United States and abroad, Mr. Obama held a news conference at which he conceded a need for greater openness and safeguards over vast American surveillance efforts. |
| “It’s right to ask questions about surveillance, particularly as technology is reshaping every aspect of our lives,” Mr. Obama said, adding: “It’s not enough for me, as president, to have confidence in these programs. The American people need to have confidence in them as well.” | “It’s right to ask questions about surveillance, particularly as technology is reshaping every aspect of our lives,” Mr. Obama said, adding: “It’s not enough for me, as president, to have confidence in these programs. The American people need to have confidence in them as well.” |
| Among other steps, Mr. Obama announced the creation of a high-level task force of outside intelligence and civil liberties specialists to advise the government about how to balance security and privacy as computer technology makes it possible to gather ever more information about people’s private lives. | Among other steps, Mr. Obama announced the creation of a high-level task force of outside intelligence and civil liberties specialists to advise the government about how to balance security and privacy as computer technology makes it possible to gather ever more information about people’s private lives. |
| The president also threw his administration’s support behind a proposal to change the procedures of the secret court that approves electronic spying under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in order to make its deliberations more adversarial. The court, created in 1978, was initially envisioned to carry out a limited role of reviewing whether there was sufficient evidence to wiretap someone as a suspected foreign terrorist or spy. | The president also threw his administration’s support behind a proposal to change the procedures of the secret court that approves electronic spying under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in order to make its deliberations more adversarial. The court, created in 1978, was initially envisioned to carry out a limited role of reviewing whether there was sufficient evidence to wiretap someone as a suspected foreign terrorist or spy. |
| But in recent years, it has played a far more sweeping role, issuing lengthy and complex secret opinions interpreting surveillance laws and constitutional privacy rights, without the benefit of opposing lawyers to argue against the Justice Department or file any appeals. Mr. Obama was expected to announce his support for creating an adversarial player in such arguments. | But in recent years, it has played a far more sweeping role, issuing lengthy and complex secret opinions interpreting surveillance laws and constitutional privacy rights, without the benefit of opposing lawyers to argue against the Justice Department or file any appeals. Mr. Obama was expected to announce his support for creating an adversarial player in such arguments. |
| The Obama administration is also released a previously classified legal analysis explaining why the government believes it is lawful under a provision of the Patriot Act known as Section 215 for the N.S.A. to collect and store logs of every phone call dialed or received in the United States. | |
| At the same time, the N.S.A. released a paper outlining its role and authorities. Officials described the seven-page documentas setting up a “foundation” to help people understand the legal framework for its activities. Next week, the agency will open a Web site designed to explain itself better to the public amid Mr. Snowden’s disclosures. | |
| “What people are beginning to see in the leaks are elements of a blueprint at N.S.A., but not an operating manual,” another senior administration official said in the conference call. “What the paper will try to do is to essentially put them in context. This is a framework.” | “What people are beginning to see in the leaks are elements of a blueprint at N.S.A., but not an operating manual,” another senior administration official said in the conference call. “What the paper will try to do is to essentially put them in context. This is a framework.” |