( CNN ) -- The Obama administration will allow technology companies to release more information about the number of government surveillance requests for their customer data , according to an agreement announced Monday . Microsoft , Google , Yahoo , Facebook and Linked-In sued the government last summer in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court seeking to disclose the data as a way to show customers how many snooping requests they receive and are required by court order to comply with . Apple has also made legal filings in support of the companies ' lawsuit . Under the agreement , companies will be allowed to publish broad categories of data on government requests for customer information made via national security letters , and orders made by surveillance court , both for general customer data and for content of customer communications . The companies will also be allowed to say how many customer accounts are affected . The detail companies can provide will be limited to groups of a thousand , or 250 , depending on which option companies choose to use . The court complaints have been dismissed , a spokeswoman for the companies said in a statement . `` We filed our lawsuits because we believe that the public has a right to know about the volume and types of national security requests we receive , '' the statement said . `` We 're pleased the Department of Justice has agreed that we and other providers can disclose this information . While this is a very positive step , we 'll continue to encourage Congress to take additional steps to address all of the reforms we believe are needed . '' The lawsuit by the companies followed leaks by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden that made public the existence of certain NSA surveillance programs . The government has fought the corporate request , saying even broad numbers would hurt national security . The companies have argued they should be allowed to publish aggregate data , in part to reassure customers . The companies contend their businesses are hurt by any perception they are arms of vast government surveillance . Currently , they can release information on general law-enforcement requests with no specifics . In a January 17 speech at the Justice Department , President Barack Obama signaled his administration was willing to allow the companies to make data public . The night before the speech , tech company lawyers met at the White House with lawyers from the Justice Department and intelligence agencies , according to a government official familiar with the meeting . Deputy Attorney General James Cole , and his chief of staff , David O'Neil , proposed a compromise that prompted the White House to include the issue in the President 's speech . Last Thursday and Friday , the company lawyers and Justice Department officials completed terms of their agreement , the official said .
Issue involves U.S. surveillance requests for customer data ; controversy arose from Snowden leaks . Microsoft , Google , Yahoo , Facebook and Linked- In sued the government . The case is still pending in a federal court in Washington DC. Government and companies reach an agreement to resolve differences .