Verizon to Offer Detail on Government Surveillance Requests Worldwide
Verizon plans to publish an online report on the number of law enforcement requests for customer information the company received in 2013 in the U.S. and internationally, the carrier said Thursday. That report will come in early 2014 and will be updated twice a year, Verizon said in a blog post (http://vz.to/1fq4KFC). Some Internet companies, including Google and Facebook, publish similar reports, but Verizon is the first U.S. telco to say it will do so.
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"In the past year, there has been greater focus than ever on the use of legal demands by governments around the world to obtain customer data,” said General Counsel Randal Milch. “Like others in the industry, the aim of our transparency report is to keep our customers informed about government requests for their data and how we respond to those requests. Verizon calls on governments around the world to provide more information on the types and amounts of data they collect and the legal processes that apply when they do so.” Verizon is working with the government on the amount of detail it can report on the number of national security letters it received last year, the company said. “Similar to transparency reports published by other major Internet companies, Verizon’s report will not disclose information about other national security requests received by the company.”
An AT&T spokesperson said that company is also exploring ways to put more information online. “While we have disclosed a lot of information in this area we are always exploring ways to do more,” the spokesperson said.
"Verizon’s commitment to periodically report on the number of law enforcement demands it receives for customer data is a welcome development because it’s the first time a U.S.-based telecom has taken this step,” said Greg Nojeim, director of the Center for Democracy & Technology’s Project on Freedom, Security and Technology. “Verizon customers will now know more about the extent to which their communications may be turned over to law enforcement, and the public will have a better grasp of the extent of law enforcement surveillance. Verizon’s announcement is going to be a big hit. Now, the pressure is on other telecoms to step up to the plate. What Verizon won’t report, though is what the U.S. government prevents it from reporting: the extent to which its customers’ data is disclosed for intelligence reasons."
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., praised the decision. “Verizon is taking an important step toward transparency, and I call on the other wireless carriers to follow its lead and regularly disclose their law enforcement requests for wireless information,” Markey said. “We clearly need more sunlight in this area, and I soon will introduce legislation to strengthen privacy safeguards for consumers. Reporting is a critical first step towards informing Americans about the nature and extent of wireless surveillance. We need to put rules on the books that protect Americans’ privacy and rights.”