Marchingontogether
TK Veteran
Facebook admits that over 2/3 of requests in the last six months of 2013, related to criminal cases, caused the release of content. The British police made thousands of requests for information on Facebook users in second half of 2013, or at least that’s what Facebook says on public.
Within the second half of 2013, there were more than 1,900 requests submitted to the social network for user information related to criminal cases, which affected about 2,300 different accounts. The company revealed that over 70% of those requests saw some data produced. Facebook admitted they do respond to valid requests connected with criminal cases. Any request obtained is checked for legal sufficiency and Facebook rejects or requires greater specificity on the queries that are overly broad or vague.
Overall, there were over 28,000 requests for information, but the number of requests by British government agencies declined in the second half of 2013. The company points out that its mission is to provide users the power to share, as well as to make the world more open and connected. However, the laws of a country may interfere with Facebook’s mission by limiting what can be shared there.
The company explained that when it receives a government request seeking to enforce such laws, its experts review it with care. Even if they agree that it is legally sufficient, Facebook only restricts access to content in the requesting country. It should be noted that Facebook was one of a host of companies (Apple and Google were also there) that created the reform government surveillance scheme in 2013. The scheme in question set out to increase transparency and accountability in government’s online snooping. Of course, it comes in the wake of Snowden’s leak of documents about the American government’s worldwide surveillance.
Within the second half of 2013, there were more than 1,900 requests submitted to the social network for user information related to criminal cases, which affected about 2,300 different accounts. The company revealed that over 70% of those requests saw some data produced. Facebook admitted they do respond to valid requests connected with criminal cases. Any request obtained is checked for legal sufficiency and Facebook rejects or requires greater specificity on the queries that are overly broad or vague.
Overall, there were over 28,000 requests for information, but the number of requests by British government agencies declined in the second half of 2013. The company points out that its mission is to provide users the power to share, as well as to make the world more open and connected. However, the laws of a country may interfere with Facebook’s mission by limiting what can be shared there.
The company explained that when it receives a government request seeking to enforce such laws, its experts review it with care. Even if they agree that it is legally sufficient, Facebook only restricts access to content in the requesting country. It should be noted that Facebook was one of a host of companies (Apple and Google were also there) that created the reform government surveillance scheme in 2013. The scheme in question set out to increase transparency and accountability in government’s online snooping. Of course, it comes in the wake of Snowden’s leak of documents about the American government’s worldwide surveillance.