Apple discloses what it's sharing with governments

[malaise]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2061290/apple-discloses-what-its-sharing-with-governments.html
<snip>

"We have reported all the information we are legally allowed to share," the seven-page .pdf explains, "and Apple will continue to advocate for greater transparency about the requests we receive."

The heart of the report is a table listing 31 countries that have demanded and received information. For each country, the table lists such statistics as the number of law enforcement account requests and in how many of those data was disclosed.

The numbers are intriguing. For instance, Germany has made 93 requests, yet Apple has only disclosed data on five of them. "In cases where no data was disclosed, Apple may have objected to a government request for legal reasons or searched our records and discovered that we have no relevant information."

But the real shock comes when you scroll down to the bottom of the alphabetical table and check the stats for the United States. Not only are the numbers vastly larger; they're also approximations. Whereas the United Kingdom has made 127 law enforcement account requests, the US has made somewhere between 1000 and 2000.

At least in public, Apple is taking the moral high road. "We strongly oppose this gag order, and Apple has made the case for relief from these restrictions in meetings and discussions with the White House, the U.S. Attorney General, congressional leaders, and the courts."

[BelgianMadCow]

1. Apple? Aren't they the inventors of the Tax Dodge app?

Whatever else they invent, I'm having none of it. Their way of "imprisoning" you within their systems doesn't go well with my liking of freedom. And the PRISM revelations only firmed up that belief.

[Coyotl]

2. Wish I had invested in Apple stock.

I knew just when to buy, but did not.