Google: always more data requests from governments

Requests for data about Google users from governments have increased by 10% in the first half of 2016. This figure is quite worrisome. And indeed, the US government is the one requiring the most about Google users.

Through its report about information transparency, which Google regularly publishes since 2011, the firm explains that it has been the fourth consecutive increase shown by the governments about data they request from Google about its users. During the first six months 2016, governments worldwide have made 44,943 applications concerning 76,713 Google user accounts. Google said it has provided some of the data requested in 64% of cases.
Just like other web giants, Google explains that data sharing was done following the legal process in the countries where the company operates; however Google is still working hard its users’ privacy. “As seen in the past, when we receive a request to a user account, we carefully go over it and only provide information within the framework and under the authority’s request,” said Richard Salgado, legal director of Google.

The United States accounted for the largest share of government requests in the first half of 2016, with 14,169 requests, which Google provided data in 79% of the cases, followed by Germany (8,788 cases) and France with 4,300 cases. But in the latter cases, the requests were satisfied in a much lesser extent. Of the 8788 requests of Berlin, only 59% were satisfied. Same goes for France: Google responded positively to only 55% of 4,300 requests.
Already in 2015, Germany and France were already respectively second and third on the podium.
In 2016, the 4th and 5th positions were respectively occupied by India (3452) and the United Kingdom with 3,302 cases.

Moreover, the famous US company has reported receiving in 2016 some first requests from several countries, i.e.: Algeria, Belarus, El Salvador, Fiji Cayman Islands and Saudi Arabia. But the famous company from Mountain View also said it did not provide any data to any of these countries.

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