Government Requests For User Data Increased: Facebook
Facebook said requests by governments for user information rose by about 24% in the first half of 2014 over the second half of last year.
Facebook's third Government Requests Report provides information about the number of government data and content removal requests the company received for the first half of 2014, as well as updated information about national security requests Facebook received under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and through National Security Letters.
In the first six months of 2014, Facebook said governments around the world made 34,946 requests for data - an increase of about 24% since the last half of 2013. During the same time, the amount of content restricted because of local laws increased about 19%.
Facebook says it examines every government request the company receives for legal sufficiency under its terms and the strict letter of the law.
Over the past year, the company challenged bulk search warrants issued by a court in New York that demanded Facebook to turn over nearly all data from the accounts of nearly 400 people.
"We've argued that these overly broad warrants violate the privacy rights of the people on Facebook and ignore constitutional safeguards against unreasonable searches and seizures," the company said in a company blog post on Tuesday.
Despite a setback in the lower court, Facebook sia it is pursuing an appeal to a higher court to invalidate these sweeping warrants and to force the government to return the data it has seized.
"While we recognize that governments need to take action to protect their citizens' safety and security, we believe all government data requests must be narrowly tailored, proportionate to the case in review, and subject to strict judicial oversight," said Chris Sonderby, Facebook Deputy General Counsel.
Google reported in September a 15 percent sequential increase in the number of requests in the first half of this year, and a 150 percent rise in the last five years, from governments around the world to reveal user information in criminal investigations.
In the first six months of 2014, Facebook said governments around the world made 34,946 requests for data - an increase of about 24% since the last half of 2013. During the same time, the amount of content restricted because of local laws increased about 19%.
Facebook says it examines every government request the company receives for legal sufficiency under its terms and the strict letter of the law.
Over the past year, the company challenged bulk search warrants issued by a court in New York that demanded Facebook to turn over nearly all data from the accounts of nearly 400 people.
"We've argued that these overly broad warrants violate the privacy rights of the people on Facebook and ignore constitutional safeguards against unreasonable searches and seizures," the company said in a company blog post on Tuesday.
Despite a setback in the lower court, Facebook sia it is pursuing an appeal to a higher court to invalidate these sweeping warrants and to force the government to return the data it has seized.
"While we recognize that governments need to take action to protect their citizens' safety and security, we believe all government data requests must be narrowly tailored, proportionate to the case in review, and subject to strict judicial oversight," said Chris Sonderby, Facebook Deputy General Counsel.
Google reported in September a 15 percent sequential increase in the number of requests in the first half of this year, and a 150 percent rise in the last five years, from governments around the world to reveal user information in criminal investigations.
