![]() ![]() Even more troubling, the government has relied on legal uncertainties to gain greater access to user data, they said. "We saw a remarkable improvement in the areas we've been tracking," said Cindy Cohn, legal director at the EFF, with nearly a year's worth of Snowden leaks helping to lend public attention on the issues.īut researchers also lamented the government's turtle-like pace in protecting users as the technology industry plows ahead. The EFF characterized the report's findings as generally positive. To develop its report, EFF collaborated with the data analysis company Silk to analyze trends in government access requests. A Snapchat spokeswoman said the company routinely requires a search warrant when law enforcement comes knocking, but the nature of its service means often there is no content to divulge.Īmazon received two stars for requiring a search warrant and for fighting for users' privacy in courts. Snapchat earned only one star for publishing law enforcement guidelines, the report said. Companies such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast issued their first-ever transparency reports during the period that EFF examined, and it's partly why major companies like Google and Facebook ranked high on the list.īut others haven't stepped up to the plate as much, according to the EFF. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, more companies have sought to be more forthcoming in how they handle government demands for data. Responses to national security requests cloaked by a gag order weren't factored in either.Ĭompanies were assessed based on six criteria: requiring a warrant for data telling users about government data requests publishing transparency reports publishing law enforcement guidelines fighting for users' privacy in courts and publicly opposing mass surveillance.įollowing leaks made by former U.S. ![]() The report was based on publicly available data and records, and did not look at any secretive anti-surveillance measures the companies may have in place. The report's findings are based on the actions companies take on matters relating to government user-data demands, as well as their stance on transparency. AT&T and Amazon earned only two stars, while Snapchat was awarded just one.Ī wealth of personal information and data is stored with Internet companies, and concerns over the handling of data have skyrocketed in the wake of disclosures about government spying, as well as cyberattacks and companies' own policies and products.
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