IN THE FIRST six months of 2013, Apple received five law enforcement account requests from Ireland.
The firm disclosed data in three of the five cases but stressed that all the information given out was non-content account information.
In its report, Apple said only a small number of requests from international authorities and governments seek personal information garnered from iTunes, iCloud or the Game Centre.
The company differentiates between device and account requests, the latter including “account holders’ personal data and their use of an online service in which they have an expectation of privacy, such as government requests for customer identifying information, email, stored photographs, or other user content stored online”.
“Device requests and account requests involve very different types of data. Many of the device requests we receive are initiated by our own customers working together with law enforcement. Device requests never include national security–related requests,” it continued.
According to the report, the most common account requests involve robberies and other crimes or requests from police searching for missing people or children or hoping to prevent a suicide.
It explained its process in deciding whether to comply with the requests:
Responding to an account request usually involves providing information about an account holder’s iTunes or iCloud account, such as a name and an address. In very rare cases, we are asked to provide stored photos or email. We consider these requests very carefully and only provide account content in extremely limited circumstances.
There was only one incident of content data being disclosed about an account in the six-month period and that was recorded in the UK.
There were 102 device requests received from Ireland, many of which would arise when customers ask police to assist them with a lost or stolen iPhone.
Gag order
The document on government information requests strongly criticised the US administration’s approach and tactics.
Apple said it believes its customers have a right to understand how their personal information is handled but stressed there are legal limitations to the data it can share. The firm also emphasised that it was not in the business of depending on personal information.
Commenting on its campaign for greater transparency, Apple noted that it strongly opposes a gag order which prevents it from disclosing the number of national security orders received from the US government.
“Apple has made the case for relief from these restrictions in meetings and discussions with the White House, the US Attorney General, congressional leaders, and the courts. Despite our extensive efforts in this area, we do not yet have an agreement that we feel adequately addresses our customers’ right to know how often and under what circumstances we provide data to law enforcement agencies,” it said.
However, it added that it did not believe a lawsuit against the government would be the most productive way to bring about a change in policy.
Between 1,000 and 2,000 account requests were received from the US with between 0 and 1,000 of them followed through.
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