Google releases data on gov't requests

Google releases data on gov't requests


NEW YORK, April 21 (UPI) -- Brazil made more requests than any other nation during the second half of 2009 for user data from Google Inc., the Internet search engine said.

Google released the report Tuesday, outlining the number of government requests it had received for user data in criminal investigations or to remove content, The Wall Street Journal reported. The release was intended to call attention to the issue of Internet censorship and government interest in online user data, the newspaper said.

Brazil filed 3,663 requests for user data, followed by the United States, which filed 3,580 requests. Brazil also had the most requests for content removal -- 291, followed by Germany, India and the United States, the Journal reported.

Privacy advocates insist Internet companies must be more open about what data they share with governments or what content they consent to censor, the newspaper said. At the same time, many governments have been urging Google to advance efforts to protect user privacy.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/04/21/Google-releases-data-on-govt-requests/UPI-82051271828778/