- New Surfshark’s research reveals a steady increase in government requests about user data
- Large tech giants are also increasingly targeted with emergencies involving less legal control
- While the United Kingdom is heading the demand for emergency requests, the US leads the global demand for users’ data
About 190 governments have requested data from a total of 8.4 million user accounts since 2020 – a new research done by Surfshark, one of the best VPN providers in the market, can reveal.
What is most concerned about Surfshark’s experts, however, is that emergency requests become “a new trend.”
In total, 153 thousand requests for account data in emergencies have been requested since 2013, in fact, when the United Kingdom led demand globally. While these requests are crucial to protecting public security, space for abuse is also high.
The risk of an increase in emergency requests
Authorities may issue emergency requests when there is an impending threat to life or serious injury, as in the event of suicide, school shootings or bomb threats.
The goal of these special requirements is to get critical information as soon as possible. This means that law enforcement can often access users’ data without a court decision or subpoena, de facto bypassing standard legal procedures.
Nevertheless, “if governments begin to abuse this practice, for example by interpreting ‘threats’ too broadly, it can lead to mass surveillance, the collection of large amounts of data, and it can compromise significant freedoms,” said Privacy’s adviser at Surfshark, Goda Sukackaite.
This is why according to Sukackaite, while emergencies serve an important role in protecting life and public security, they still require careful regulation and supervision to protect individual rights and prevent potential abuse.
The Surfshark team analyzed emergency situations put forward globally against major large tech companies (Google, Microsoft, Apple and Meta) between 2013 and the first half of 2024.
As mentioned earlier, Britain leads the way here by explaining 26% of all 153 thousand emergencies made since 2013. The United States is following 22%, with the United Arab Emirates reaching the third position with 10.5% requests.
Google is the regular most targeted of these emergencies, which accounts for 85% of all requirements issued globally. However, it is worth noting that Google was the only company that revealed emergency requests between 2013 and 2015.
Nevertheless, experts could record an escalation in emergency requests (see picture above) over the years, when the first quarter of 2024 alone had already seen 15 thousand requests.
It is also worth mentioning that while Google, Microsoft and Apple provide information about the number of emergencies they receive, Meta does not specify it.
USA and EU – Equating Users’ Data requests
In addition to emergency requests, authorities may require access to users’ data during criminal investigations. Government bodies may also request citizens’ online information about civil or administrative cases.
Surfshark experts registered a total of 293 thousand requested accounts alone in 2013. By 2020, this number had grown to nearly 1.3 million, with a record height of more than 2.2 million reached in 2022. After a slight fall in 2023, experts now expect 2024 to be on the way to reach new heights.
As mentioned earlier, the United States is the country that has required access to citizens’ data the most, with an average of an account requested per. 100 thousand people. However, European countries contribute to the top 10 lists with six regions (Germany, Britain, France, Ireland, Poland and Switzerland). Singapore, Brazil and South Korea are also featured among the top 10 countries that issue users’ data requests.
Meta has so far been the most important target of the authorities accounting for 43% of the 12.1 million accounts requested from 2013 to mid -2024. Google was the second company that was most affected (39%). Microsoft and Apple were the least targeted with 10% and 8% of the requests respectively.
While the numbers mentioned earlier account for the data requested for authorities around the world, Surfshark’s report also provides us with some data on corporate information rates.
Between 2016 and 2022, Apple led the road here, with its information rate from 76% to 83%. While Apple’s compliance fell to 79% by 2023, Google’s rate began to grow and reached 82% in mid -2024.
“This is currently doing Google the company with the highest information rate,” noted Surfshark, adding that today’s Meta’s compliance is coming right behind Google.
Despite an increase in the first half of 2024, Microsoft has been the company that reveals the least user information since 2018.
How to secure your sensitive data
If you are concerned about your privacy, we recommend taking some steps to minimize the information you share with Big Tech Giants.
These include the use of a virtual private network (VPN) software every time you review the Internet. It encrypts your Internet connections while falling your real IP address.
More importantly, however, you need to use privacy -focused alternatives whenever possible. For example, Proton offers a variety of software that helps you cut Google out of your digital life, including a secure E -mail service, password manager, encrypted calendar and document tool.
Here you can find more tips for de-going on your life, including how to choose a more private browser and more.
