Brussels, 09/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 9 December, eight US new technology giants, including Facebook, Twitter and Apple sent an open letter to Barack Obama. In their letter, AOL, Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Yahoo and Twitter called for surveillance practices to be reformed and said that this summer's revelations have highlighted the urgent need to reform government surveillance practices at a global level, AFP reports. These new technology leaders stated that the pendulum had swung too far in favour of the state, to the disadvantage of individual rights as included in the US constitution and this had had a negative impact on freedoms they hold dear and that “it is time to change”. Former CIA employee, Edward Snowden, who made the revelations, may take part by video conference this month in a European Parliament hearing on the subject. The EP civil liberties committee is preparing a report due to be presented by its author, Claudio Moraes (S&D, UK) on 18 December. (SP/transl.fl)