Government requests for Twitter account information rose 52% in 2015
By Caitlin Huston
Published: Aug 11, 2015 1:27 p.m. ET
Twitter Inc. TWTR, -1.98% received 52% more government requests for account information for the first half of 2015, marking the largest increase in requests since Twitter began releasing the numbers in 2012. The increased number of requests affected 78% more users, which includes users on Twitter, Periscope and Vine, than the previous reporting period, Twitter said. Most of the requests came from the United States, at 56% of total requests, followed by Japan, at 10% and Turkey at 9%. The United Kingdom had the fourth most requests with 7% of total requests. Content removal requests also increased 26%. Twitter said it notifies users about the account information requests unless it is prohibited or there’s an exception to its user notice policy.
Anonymous
August 11, 2015 1:46 pm
Admin,
Any total for the number of requests made?
And (admittedly highly unlikely) any reasons why they were made?
As for me, I stay off social media of any type, it seems a invitation for spying by nefarious sources.
From Jan. 1 through June 30, the company received 4,363 government requests worldwide for account information related to 12,711 accounts on Twitter, Periscope or Vine. Twitter provided at least some information in response to 58 percent of the requests.
That represented a roughly 52 percent increase from the number of requests received in the second half of 2014, during which the company received 2,871. Twitter executive Jeremy Kessel called it the “largest increase between reporting periods we have ever seen” on Tuesday.
The rate at which the company provided some account information also increased from 52 percent between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2014 — rising by 6 percentage points.
Requests for account information are usually made as part of criminal investigations, the company said.
The company said that in the first six months of 2015, the company received 442 court orders requesting it remove certain content and another 561 from government agencies globally. That marks a 26 percent increase from the previous six-month period. Most of the requests came from authorities in Turkey and Russia.
For the first time, the company is providing users with data on the number of trademark violation allegations made about content on Twitter and Vine. The company received 12,911 trademark notices for Twitter and Vine and removed material in 7 percent of cases.
For the first half of 2015, the company received 14,694 copyright takedown requests and counter notices on Twitter and an additional 3,766 on Periscope and Vine. Material was removed from Twitter 67 percent of the time.
Users can also now see how different email providers encrypt — or don’t encrypt — messages from Twitter.
Several major tech companies have made the decision in recent years to publish data related to the requests they receive for user information. The numbers have particular salience in light of revelations about the wide scope of government surveillance.
Westcoaster
August 11, 2015 7:10 pm
Do you guys know they’re now snapping an image of all the snail mail? I’m serious.
That pic encapsulates why it is damn near impossible to start and maintain a small business.
First, how many new business people know how to deal with each and every one of those areas? Almost none is the answer.
And even if you know how to deal with them, who has the money to do so?
Only big biz has the resources to navigate the perils of all those departments.
Fuck the IRS and EPA in particular.
Anonymous
August 11, 2015 8:17 pm
The old saying goes a man is dangerous when there is nothing left to lose. That my friends is the breaking point.
Bea Lever
August 11, 2015 8:32 pm
Westcoaster- That was a damned interesting article, never knew that the USPS was targeting and storing photos of Merican’s mail. Thanks for sharing.
starfcker
August 11, 2015 8:59 pm
The picture is inaccurate. What’s missing is the wave of state players behind the feds, then county, then local. Build anything nowadays, and it’s damn near a parade
Government requests for Twitter account information rose 52% in 2015
By Caitlin Huston
Published: Aug 11, 2015 1:27 p.m. ET
Twitter Inc. TWTR, -1.98% received 52% more government requests for account information for the first half of 2015, marking the largest increase in requests since Twitter began releasing the numbers in 2012. The increased number of requests affected 78% more users, which includes users on Twitter, Periscope and Vine, than the previous reporting period, Twitter said. Most of the requests came from the United States, at 56% of total requests, followed by Japan, at 10% and Turkey at 9%. The United Kingdom had the fourth most requests with 7% of total requests. Content removal requests also increased 26%. Twitter said it notifies users about the account information requests unless it is prohibited or there’s an exception to its user notice policy.
Admin,
Any total for the number of requests made?
And (admittedly highly unlikely) any reasons why they were made?
As for me, I stay off social media of any type, it seems a invitation for spying by nefarious sources.
From Jan. 1 through June 30, the company received 4,363 government requests worldwide for account information related to 12,711 accounts on Twitter, Periscope or Vine. Twitter provided at least some information in response to 58 percent of the requests.
That represented a roughly 52 percent increase from the number of requests received in the second half of 2014, during which the company received 2,871. Twitter executive Jeremy Kessel called it the “largest increase between reporting periods we have ever seen” on Tuesday.
The rate at which the company provided some account information also increased from 52 percent between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2014 — rising by 6 percentage points.
Requests for account information are usually made as part of criminal investigations, the company said.
The company said that in the first six months of 2015, the company received 442 court orders requesting it remove certain content and another 561 from government agencies globally. That marks a 26 percent increase from the previous six-month period. Most of the requests came from authorities in Turkey and Russia.
For the first time, the company is providing users with data on the number of trademark violation allegations made about content on Twitter and Vine. The company received 12,911 trademark notices for Twitter and Vine and removed material in 7 percent of cases.
For the first half of 2015, the company received 14,694 copyright takedown requests and counter notices on Twitter and an additional 3,766 on Periscope and Vine. Material was removed from Twitter 67 percent of the time.
Users can also now see how different email providers encrypt — or don’t encrypt — messages from Twitter.
Several major tech companies have made the decision in recent years to publish data related to the requests they receive for user information. The numbers have particular salience in light of revelations about the wide scope of government surveillance.
Do you guys know they’re now snapping an image of all the snail mail? I’m serious.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/us/monitoring-of-snail-mail.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1
That pic encapsulates why it is damn near impossible to start and maintain a small business.
First, how many new business people know how to deal with each and every one of those areas? Almost none is the answer.
And even if you know how to deal with them, who has the money to do so?
Only big biz has the resources to navigate the perils of all those departments.
Fuck the IRS and EPA in particular.
The old saying goes a man is dangerous when there is nothing left to lose. That my friends is the breaking point.
Westcoaster- That was a damned interesting article, never knew that the USPS was targeting and storing photos of Merican’s mail. Thanks for sharing.
The picture is inaccurate. What’s missing is the wave of state players behind the feds, then county, then local. Build anything nowadays, and it’s damn near a parade