Twitter Inc. sued the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday, intensifying the Internet company’s battle with federal agencies as the self-described champion of free speech seeks the right to publicly reveal more details about the extent of government surveillance.
In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern California, Twitter argued that current rules prevent it from even stating that it has not received any national security requests for user information.
Twitter said such restrictions violate the Constitution’s First Amendment guarantee of free speech.
Tech companies have sought to clarify their relationships with U.S. law enforcement and spying agencies in the wake of former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden’s revelations about the depth of U.S. spying capabilities.
