By Steve Neavling

Companies like Google and Microsoft have long expressed frustration with the inability to disclose when they’ve received a secretive compliance order from the FBI seeking records.

Under a new FBI policy, companies will be able to disclose the “national security letters,” but only “at the earlier of three years after the opening of a fully predicated investigation or the investigation’s close,” The Wall Street Journal reports.

Until now, the FBI has been able to obtain telephone, banking and Internet company records without a court order, and the company was legally prevented from disclosing bureau’s order.

The changes are part of President Obama’s call to reform surveillance practices and data collection.