Facebook rejects govt requests for data

Popular social networking platform Facebook has turned down all requests of the government for information about users in the first half of this year.

Facebook's 'Global Government Requests Report', which was released yesterday, shows the government made three requests about as many users/accounts in between January and June this year.

Since introducing the report in 2013, the social media giant has not provided any data to Bangladesh government, which made 16 requests about 37 user accounts during this time, according to the half-yearly reports.

Acting on the government's requests, the social network restricted access in Bangladesh to three contents "reported under local laws prohibiting criticism of the state" between July-December 2013.

Released as part Facebook's effort to reform government surveillance in countries around the world by providing more transparency, the report said there is an increase in content restrictions and government requests for data globally.

The report provides information about the number of government requests it received for data and the number of pieces of content restricted for violating local law in countries around the world where it provides service.

In the first half of this year, amount of content restricted for violating local laws increased by 112 percent over the second half of 2014, to 20,568 pieces of content, up from 9,707, according to a Facebook news release.

Government requests for account data increased across all countries by 18 percent over the same period, from 35,051 requests to 41,214.

US ranks first of all countries with 17,577 requests about 26,579 users or accounts, of which Facebook provided data for 79.85 percent.

India and the UK were second and third in that regard, with requests for data about 6,268 and 4,489 users/accounts respectively.

India tops the list of governments that blocked Facebook content in their countries, with 15,155 posts being restricted. This is more than three times that of second-placed Turkey, which blocked 4,496 posts.

"We respond to valid requests relating to criminal cases. Each and every request we receive is checked for legal sufficiency and we reject or require greater specificity on requests that are overly broad or vague."