infoJustice

Google has released a new “Transparency Report” which presents country-level data on the number of takedown requests and requests for identities of users that Google received from governments between July and December of 2010.  The report also contains data on how many of times Google complied with these requests.  Google engineer Matt Braithwhite wrote in a blog post announcing the report that “Our goal is to provide our users access to information and to protect the privacy of our users. Whenever we receive a request, we first check to make sure it meets both the letter and spirit of the law before complying. When possible, we notify affected users about requests for user data that may affect them. And, if we believe a request is overly broad, we will seek to narrow it.”

Google received 4,601 requests for “disclosure of user data” from U.S. law enforcement in the six month time period covered.94% of these requests were “fully or partially complied with.”  U.S. government officials requested the removal of items from Google websites 54 times (requesting the removal of 1,42 separate items), and 87% of these requests were “fully or partially complied with.”

For more information, see:

• Google Transparency Report
• Matt Braithwaitte, Official Google Blog. “Updated and More Detailed Transparency Report.”