Nsa director general keith alexander
HRW: Obama's NSA reforms not enough
Human Rights Watch says there is no proof that the gathering of information has made a difference.
An official said Obama believes the bulk data program is important to counter terror threats.
The US president will announce restrictions to US surveillance practices.
The report cited a document which formed part of papers obtained from Edward Snowden.
France says the NSA collected tens of thousands of French telephone records.
Snowden is wanted in the US for espionage and other charges after leaking details of the NSA.
US spying on Petrobras is likely to further complicate the tension between the United States and Brazil.
NSA has been a frequent contributor to public processes for choosing security techniques.
Lawmakers say the al Qaeda threat is the most serious in years.
The newly declassified documents have already been divulged in public hearings.
The disclosures by Snowden raised America's concerns about domestic spying and strained US relations.