Google: Building on Surveillance Reform
https://blog.google/topics/public-policy/building-surveillance-reform/
Today, we've updated our Transparency Report on government
requests for user data. Globally, we received 44,943
government requests for information regarding 76,713 accounts
during the first half of 2016. We provided user information
in response to 64% of those requests, which remains unchanged
from the previous reporting period (i.e. the second half of
2015). We also received our first ever requests from the
following countries: Algeria, Belarus, Cayman Islands, El
Salvador, Fiji, and Saudi Arabia. In addition, pursuant to the
USA Freedom Act, the FBI lifted a gag restriction on an NSL
issued in the second half of 2015. To reflect this, we have
updated the range of NSLs received in that period -- July to
December 2015 -- from 0-499 to 1-499. As we have noted in the
past, when we receive a request for user information, we
review it carefully and only provide information within the
scope and authority of the request. The privacy and security
of the data that users store with Google is central to our
approach. Before producing data in response to a government
request, we make sure it strictly follows the law, for example
to compel us to disclose content in criminal cases we require
the government use a search warrant, and that it complies with
Google's strict policies (to prevent overreach that can
compromise users' privacy).
--Lauren--
