The National Security Agency's massive data gathering from the world's largest Internet companies could bolster arguments that the United States should have less control over the Internet, an expert says.

The NSA has obtained direct access to the systems of Google, Facebook, Apple and at least six other U.S. Internet companies, collecting search history, the content of emails, file transfers, live chats and more, The Guardian and Washington Post reported Thursday, based on a top secret document. The data gathered is to try to spot terrorist activity in communications between people in and outside the U.S.

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