http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1112798051/fbi-requests-google-user-info-030513/ Google Says FBI Requested Info On Thousands Of Users Without Warrant
March 6, 2013
Michael Harper for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online
As an extension of their policy of being “open,” Google often releases “Transparency Reports” detailing the types of traffic they handle as well as requests they receive from national governments and law enforcement agencies. Sometimes these are requests to remove content from their sites, such as controversial and incendiary videos on YouTube. Additionally, governments and law enforcement agencies sometimes ask the search giant for information about their users to help them with investigations and searches.
For over two years, Google has compiled these requests in a comprehensive Transparency Report, presumably for the sake of keeping everyone accountable and honest. Google announced yesterday that they will now begin including warrantless requests from the FBI for user data.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1112769763/google-transparency-report-government-user-data-requests-012413/ US Law Enforcement Requests For Google User Data Grew 70% Since 2009
January 24, 2013
redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports – Your Universe Online
Requests by law enforcement agencies for Google’s user data have skyrocketed more than 70% since 2009, the Internet search giant revealed on Wednesday in its latest Transparency Report.
The report is Google’s voluntary disclosure of how many times it removed data from its services, or submitted user information to government agencies during the last six months.
The company said it received 8,438 U.S. government requests for user data between July and December of 2012, and complied with 88% of those requests
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article34839.htm Are All Telephone Calls Recorded And Accessible To The US Government?
A former FBI counterterrorism agent claims on CNN that this is the case
By Glenn Greenwald
May 06, 2013 "Information Clearing House" -"The Guardian" - The real capabilities and behavior of the US surveillance state are almost entirely unknown to the American public because, like most things of significance done by the US government, it operates behind an impenetrable wall of secrecy. But a seemingly spontaneous admission this week by a former FBI counterterrorism agent provides a rather startling acknowledgment of just how vast and invasive these surveillance activities are.
http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2013/05/02/surveillance-state-unchecked-secret-spy-court-rejected-zero-requests-in-2012/ Surveillance State Unchecked: Secret Spy Court Rejected Zero Requests in 2012
By: Kevin Gosztola Thursday May 2, 2013
An annual report to the United States Senate by the Justice Department shows the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court did not deny one single request made to the court by federal law enforcement. All applications to conduct electronic surveillance or “physical searches for foreign intelligence purposes” were granted.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/05/spy-court-stats/ Secretive Spy Court Approved Nearly 2,000 Surveillance Requests in 2012
By David Kravets
05.02.13