FB provides data to BD govt for first time

Risingbd Desk: Popular social networking platform Facebook has provided information to Bangladesh government about users for the first time.

 

Facebook’s “Global Government Requests Report” shows the Bangladesh government made 12 requests about 31 users’ accounts between July and December last year.

 

According to the report, Facebook provided 16.67% information to the Bangladesh government.

 

“We restricted access to four pieces of content alleged to violate local law regarding blasphemy, pursuant to a request from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission,” says the report.

 

This is the first time Facebook provided any data to Bangladesh government since introducing the report in 2013.

 

Earlier a report published by Facebook on November 12, 2015 revealed Bangladesh government sought information about three accounts between January to June of the year, FB authority did not respond to the government.

 

During the first six months of 2014, Bangladesh government sought information of 17 users` accounts by seven requests. During last six months of the year, Bangladesh authority wanted to know about five accounts by five requests as well.

 

Earlier in 2013, Bangladesh government sought information of 12 users` account to the Fackebook authority.

 

United States topped the list of data seekers, making 19,235 requests from 30,041 accounts in the second half of 2015. India and the UK secured the second and third position, with requests for data about 5,561 and 4,190 users/accounts respectively.

 

In its report Facebook provided country-wise statistics of government requests and its responses. The report is one of the chief indicators of government interest in the company’s data.

 

Facebook, however, publishes report in every six months. The report shows which countries requested to FB authority for what kind of information.

 

risingbd/Dhaka/Apr 29, 2016/A K Azad