The requests by the Modi led BJP government to seek access to Facebook users’ data further increased in the first six months of this year, second only to the US government, the social media giant has revealed.
Globally, during the first six months of 2020, the government requests for user data increased by 23 per cent from 1,40,875 to 1,73,592.
“Of the total volume, the US continues to submit the largest number of requests, followed by India, Germany, France, and the UK,” Facebook said.
BJP government at centre asks for record access to Facebook users’ data in 2020 1st half
In total, Indian Government regulating bodies requested Facebook to provide data in 35,560 cases in the January-June 2020 period
This data is significantly up from 26,698 queries about users’ data in the second half of 2019
However Facebook only provided data in 50 per cent of the requests, according to its latest biannual Transparency Report.
“We have strict guidelines in place to deal with all government data requests,” Facebook said in a statement late on Thursday.
There were a total of 33,374 legal requests and 2,186 emergency requests from India.
There was also an increase in the Indian government’s request to preserve account information too, pending the receipt of formal legal process.
In the January-June 2020 period, India asked for 4,100 accounts to be preserved, from 2,500 account requests in earlier reported periods.
In the US, Facebook received 61,528 requests, an increase of 20 per cent compared to the second half of 2019.
During this reporting period, the volume of content restrictions based on local law increased globally 40 per cent from 15,826 to 22,120. The increase was in part related to Covid-related restrictions.
