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posted by cmn32480 on Tuesday November 17 2015, @08:12AM   Printer-friendly
from the time-to-jump-to-the-next-big-thing dept.

Facebook is seeing a huge surge in the amount of data being requested by governments.

The site has released its new information on government information requests, showing a huge rise in the amount of data that governments are trying to get hold of about Facebook's users.

The number of posts that are being taken down because they are contravening local laws is also surging, at almost double the amount of posts that were being censored from last year.

Facebook said that it had received 35,051 requests from governments for access to account data. That was up 18 per cent, across all countries.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/facebook-data-requests-from-governments-surge-site-says-a6732011.html


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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by frojack on Tuesday November 17 2015, @08:35AM

    by frojack (1554) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday November 17 2015, @08:35AM (#264235) Journal

    At least half the responsibility for these requests is the stupid amount of stuff that people post there.

    I've seen people post about crimes they have committed, posing with the property they stole etc.
    Why wouldn't the cops ask for that account data?

    I've seen picture posted with geo coded locations embedded in exif data.
    People aren't exactly trying to hide on Facebook.

    --
    No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
    • (Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Tuesday November 17 2015, @09:24AM

      by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Tuesday November 17 2015, @09:24AM (#264242) Homepage Journal

      Someone hacked two European banks so that there was no daily withdrawal limit, then sent runners out to withdraw the case around New York City. I have seen with my very eyes the photo of a runner cheerfully holding a three-inch stack of twenty-dollar bills.

      The authorities tracked down what they thought to be the kingpin, only to find that some bullets got to him first.

      --
      Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
    • (Score: 1) by saltycraig on Wednesday November 18 2015, @01:44PM

      by saltycraig (5954) on Wednesday November 18 2015, @01:44PM (#264837)

      At least half the responsibility for these requests is the stupid amount of stuff that people post there.

      Yep, like posting when you are going on vacation on a your publicly viewable Facebook account...might as well just leave the key in your front door!

  • (Score: 2) by davester666 on Tuesday November 17 2015, @09:15AM

    by davester666 (155) on Tuesday November 17 2015, @09:15AM (#264241)

    with everyone. Why can't we all just get along? And give all our personal information to our friends?

    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Gravis on Tuesday November 17 2015, @10:41AM

      by Gravis (4596) on Tuesday November 17 2015, @10:41AM (#264257)

      Your government just wants to be friends with everyone. Why can't we all just get along? And give all our personal information to our friends?

      sure... just as soon they give all their information to us. for starters, they could tell us about PRISM. what's that? you don't want to declassify it because it's illegal? well, i see we're at an impasse on that friendship part.

  • (Score: 2) by bradley13 on Tuesday November 17 2015, @03:28PM

    by bradley13 (3053) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday November 17 2015, @03:28PM (#264377) Homepage Journal

    It's worth noting which governments are requesting data. [independent.co.uk]

    Approximately 50% of the requests are within the US, i.e., as much as the rest of the world combined. Is that because the US police forces are more aware of the potential utility of electronic data? Or is it because US surveillance is out of control?

    --
    Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.
    • (Score: 2) by BananaPhone on Tuesday November 17 2015, @04:15PM

      by BananaPhone (2488) on Tuesday November 17 2015, @04:15PM (#264412)

      They do it to grow the haystack of data to sift.

      The more data they get the more it LOOKS like they are doing something.

      and that means bonus check$!