Facebook received between 9,000 and 10,000 requests for user data from various U.S. government entities in the second half of 2012, involving between 18,000 and 19,000 accounts, announced yesterday, in a blog post, the largest social network in the world, according to Reuters.
“We hope this helps put into perspective the numbers involved and lays to rest some of the hyperbolic and false assertions in some recent press accounts about the frequency and scope of the data requests that we receive,” reads a Facebook statement on its website.
Microsoft has also announced yesterday that it received in the last six months of 2012 between 6,000 and 7,000 criminal and security warrants, summonses and orders from local governmental entities, regional and federal, affecting between 31,000 and 32,000 user accounts.
Two sources familiar with the talks said that several Internet companies have reached an agreement with the U.S. government to disclose limited information about the number of surveillance applications that they received. Facebook said it has made public the information on the basis of the agreement reached with the U.S. authorities responsible for national security.
The agreement highlights the pressure on the U.S. government and Internet companies after media leaks last week on a controversial program of the U.S. National Security Agency to monitor foreign citizens. Disclosure of the program raised concerns about the purpose and scope of data collection activities.
Other Internet companies are expected to also disclose the figures on government requests, without mentioning how many were from the National Security Agency, said the sources cited.
Yahoo! is the only company that appealed in 2008 an order from Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court arguing that the order violated the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. U.S. District Judge Bruce Selya rejected the appeal.
Google, Facebook and Microsoft have publicly urged the U.S. government to allow them to reveal the number of surveillance applications that were received, including confidential requests made based on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
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