A United Nations panel has adopted a resolution expressing concern about mass surveillance. The proposal was drafted by Germany and Brazil, which, according to revelations by Edward Snowden, have both been subjected to extensive U.S. spying. But the measure was toned down following pressure from the United States, Britain and other allies. A reference to the intrusive nature of collecting metadata — details like which phone numbers are involved in a call and how long the call lasts — was spiked. Brazil’s deputy ambassador to the U.N. said the measure should have been stronger.

Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota: “We are pleased that consensus was reached, but it is important to recall the compromises that were made to achieve such an outcome. References to the principles of necessity and proportionality were not as strong as they should have been. Surveillance programs, as any activity that pose a threat to human rights, should be necessary and proportionate to the pursuance of legitimate aims. As some members were not in a position to acknowledge these basic principles of international law, we could not affirm them in the strongest of terms.”