All over the world, governments are asking social media companies to share their information.
TechRobot reported earlier this year on the various ways that big government uses Apple, Facebook, or Twitter to access personal data.
“Across the Q1 2020 Transparency Reports from Apple, Facebook and Twitter which Tech Robot analysed as part of the study, there were almost 70,000 requests for data from the US government. This is alarming, as it’s 21% more than what was requested in the same time period in 2019!
According to a study of the 10 largest governments that require the most information, the US received the greatest amount of access from tech companies. Apple, Facebook, and Twitter granted 76% of the requests. This means that more than 50,000 pieces information were given to the US government. The number of requests that were granted in 2019 hasn’t changed significantly from last year. In 2019, there were just 5% fewer granted requests by Apple, Facebook and Twitter.”
Without user consent or a warrant, the sharing of data about users is alarming. July reports from MRC Free Speech America highlighted the way Amazon and Google share your data with law enforcement during an “emergency.”
Sen. Ed Markey (D. MA), asked Amazon for a commitment to stop using voice recognition technology on its devices. It declined.
“Increasing law enforcement reliance on private surveillance creates a crisis of accountability, and I am particularly concerned that biometric surveillance could become central to the growing web of surveillance systems that Amazon and other powerful tech companies are responsible for,” Markey wrote in a statement.
Meanwhile, Google’s policy would provide police with a user’s Nest video footage without a warrant in “emergency” situations. The company’s Terms of Service (TOS) explain the process, although it claims it has never done so.
According to the TOS, “If we have reason to believe that we could prevent someone dying or from suffering significant physical harm, then we might provide information about them to the government agency — such as in case bomb threats and school shootings, kidnappings suicide prevention, missing persons cases, etc.” We still take into consideration these requests, given the applicable laws and our policies.
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