- In the first 6 months, 22,684 requests were sent, while in the second 6 months, the Government of India sent 26,698 requests.
- Out of the total requests sent in the second 6 months, 24,944 were legal requests, while 1,754 were emergency requests.
Facebook has recently released its transparency report. In the year 2019, information came about the request for user data from all over the world. According to the report, India has the second-highest number of requests for user data, while the United States has the highest number of requests. The Indian government sent 49,000 legal and emergency requests to Facebook. In the year 2018, this figure was 37 thousand. In the second half of 2019, user data requests from governments around the world increased by 9.5%, the company said.
Chris Sonderby, Facebook’s VP and Deputy General Counsel, says the number of requests for user data by the government increased by 9.5% in the last six months of 2019, from 1,28,617 to 1,40,875. Most of the requests were sent by America. It is followed by India, the UK, Germany, and France.
India sent the request 49 thousand times
In the first half of 2019, India sent 22,684 requests for user information, while in the second half, the Indian government sent 26,698 requests. However, Facebook produced data for only 15,206 accounts. In the year 2018, the Government of India sent only 37,000 requests.
Of the total requests sent in the second part, 24,944 were legal requests, while 1,754 were emergency requests. Legal requests are sent through legal processes such as search warrants, while an emergency request is sent without any legal process when a risk situation arises.
Requests can be sent in an emergency without legal process
Facebook said in its blog post that a request can be sent in an emergency situation without going through the legal process of law enforcement. Depending on the circumstances, we may voluntarily disclose information to law enforcement, where we have a good reason to believe that there is a risk of serious bodily injury or death.