My browser pulled the comment I'm replying to right now 'directly from the servers of' HN, but I don't have 'direct access' to HN.
The slide I'm talking about ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/prism-... ) states: "collection directly from the servers of these U.S. Service Providers."
Since there's currently no way to "browse" private data on, say, my Google search history or my GMail inbox, the conclusion seems to be that they either have broad backdoor access, or a specific way of directly downloading from these companies.
In a traditional warrant situation, the data would be collected by the companies and sent to the requesting agency that provided a warrant. Police officers that request, say, HTTP access logs do not download those logs directly.
However one wants to define 'directly from the servers of' or 'direct access' I think for all intents and purposes it means the same thing.
Yes, that's what PRISM is. Warrant compliance, automated and streamlined.
It's also very possible that the slide traded some simplicity for accuracy because it was being presented to a group of people who didn't really care or understand the details and technicalities.
Also, (E), The companies didn't "give" the government direct access, but were quietly complicit in allowing them to collect data.