Apple updates its report on government requests following DOJ settlement

Apple released an updated statement on National Security and Law enforcement orders following a settlement with the Department of Justice that allows for increased transparency by tech companies. Apple and other technology companies like Google and Microsoft have been pushing the government to relax reporting rules that barred them from talking about information requests. The DOJ announced today that it had reached a deal with technology companies that would allow them to disclose detailed information about the number and kinds of inquiries it receives from government and law enforcement agencies. The biggest change involves NSA requests, which were previously kept secret from the public. Now companies can acknowledge how many NSA and FISA requests they receive and how many they complied with by law. In response to this change, Apple released an updated statement on National Security and Law enforcement orders that confirms the company received 249 requests via National Security Letters and FISA court orders. This is a very small percentage of the hundreds of millions iTunes accounts that are registered with Apple. In a statement released to the public, Apple confirms its commitment to transparency: “Apple has always believed that our customers have the right to understand how their personal information is being handled. We applaud the Administration for taking this important step toward greater transparency, and we thank the Justice Department for considering Apple’s point of view as it reached this decision. Our business does not rely on collecting large amounts of personal data about our customers, which is reflected in the figures we are releasing under the new transparency rules. We look forward to working with the White House working group led by John Podesta, focusing on big data and the future of privacy. We believe it’s one of the most important issues facing our industry and our society today.” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a recent ABC News interview that he would push the White House and Congress for even more transparency about information requests from government and law enforcement agencies. “Transparency would help put everything in perspective,” said Cook. Continue reading →

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