Apple discloses government requests for user information
Apple disclosed content from users’ accounts to U.S. government officials fewer than 1000 times during the first six months of 2013, according to a Report on Government Information Requests that the company issued on Tuesday.
“Apple’s main business is not about collecting information,” the company said in the report. In detailing its interactions with governments, both in the United States and around the world, Apple hoped to provide more transparency about the processes. Moreover, the company says that it has repeatedly made the case for more openness in its meetings with government officials; along with the report, Apple is also filing an amicus brief with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA), supporting other cases requesting more transparency.
“We feel strongly that the government should lift the gag order and permit companies to disclose complete and accurate numbers regarding FISA requests and National Security Letters,” the company said in its report. “We will continue to aggressively pursue our ability to be more transparent.”
With this move, Apple joins the likes of Facebook, Microsoft, and Google; earlier this year, all three of the companies voiced their desire to be more open with the public about government requests.
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