The documents shed significant light on the government's argument for web surveillance. (nolifebeforecoffee, Creative Commons)

Yahoo fought the U.S. government's demands for user data back in 2008, but its claims were ultimately rejected by that same court. The technology giant thus became the first unwilling participant in the National Security Agency's PRISM program, which was exposed by former security contractor Edward Snowden.

Yahoo's general counsel Ron Bell wrote in a blog post that he considers the declassification of these documents "an important win for transparency."

Read more at New York Times.

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