NDM Post 6

Google: US government demands for user data have risen 250% since 2009

The article talks about the US Governments demand of users data and its increase in the last 5 years. the author Domonic Rushe write that President Obama asked congress to rein the bulk collection of information from US citizens in January. Google legal director Richard Salgado wrote in a blogpost. “Despite these revelations, we have seen some countries expand their surveillance authorities in an attempt to reach service providers outside their borders. Others are considering similar measures.”

- In the first half of 2014, the number of government demands rose 15% compared to the second half of last year, and a 150% increase since Google first began publishing this data in 2009.

- Google’s users have risen 150% since the tech giant first started publishing their numbers.

- Between July and December 2013 Google received between 0 and 999 requests under FISA and the same under NSL.

In my opinion the government should be able to track data from Google users as it help them observe any potential terrorists or in fact any criminal activity. Which allows them to act upon or start investigation leading on to other leads that may be important to relating investigations. However, to an extent - they should only look at information that isn't disclosed, information that requires invasion of privacy should be disbarred.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/sep/15/google-demands-user-data-rise