According to information obtained by the Guardian, the Obama administration is working with legislators to ensure legal immunity for telecommunications companies that hand over customer information to government agencies such as the National Security Agency (NSA).

The policy is similar to other surveillance laws, such as protections for companies who respect court orders to hand over information. But a version of a bill coming out of the House intelligence committee wouldn't require a warrant or subpoena from a judge for the government to request customers' records. Companies could not be penalized or sued for voluntarily releasing customers' information to government agencies that request it without a court order. 

Communication giants Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft are fighting back with plans to update privacy policies, including a provision to inform customers when government agencies request data in most cases.