The issue focused on the letter from the Department of Justice to a House committee on the issue of making it easier to force companies to turn over data in a court order for "alleged criminal activity." It was an attempt to show that the US has a different view of "criminal activity" than the European Commission and is more willing to use a court order to force companies to turn over data that is then used to prevent further criminal activity. 
 
 The letter was released as a court case was being heard in the US -