U.S. President Barack Obama is planning new measures to increase transparency about the government's surveillance programs aimed at protecting the country from terrorist attacks.
White House aides said Friday that Mr. Obama would discuss the new plan at a news conference before leaving Washington for a week-long vacation at an Atlantic Coast retreat in Massachusetts.
The aides said the new transparency is aimed at restoring public trust in the clandestine National Security Agency programs that monitor telephone calls and Internet usage, although not their content, in hope of thwarting terrorist plots.
Many Americans have voiced their surprise over the past two months at the extent of the government surveillance, which was exposed by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. He is now living in temporary asylum in Russia even as American authorities have sought his extradition to face espionage charges.
White House aides said Friday that Mr. Obama would discuss the new plan at a news conference before leaving Washington for a week-long vacation at an Atlantic Coast retreat in Massachusetts.
The aides said the new transparency is aimed at restoring public trust in the clandestine National Security Agency programs that monitor telephone calls and Internet usage, although not their content, in hope of thwarting terrorist plots.
Many Americans have voiced their surprise over the past two months at the extent of the government surveillance, which was exposed by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. He is now living in temporary asylum in Russia even as American authorities have sought his extradition to face espionage charges.