Microsoft, Facebook Reveal Information on US Security Data Requests

Tech giants Microsoft and Facebook say that they have received many warrants form U.S. Government entities, regarding the data of its users. Microsoft reportedly received around 6,000 and 7,000 criminal and national security warrants, subpoenas and orders affecting between 31,000 and 32,000 consumer accounts from U.S. governmental entities.

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While Facebook received requests between 9,000 to 10,000, with issues surrounding missing children, fugitives and terrorism. Around 19,000 accounts were believed to be queried by the US government entities.

"With more than 1.1 billion monthly active users worldwide, this means that a tiny fraction of one percent of our user accounts were the subject of any kind of U.S. state, local, or federal U.S. government request" said Facebook's general counsel, Ted Ullyot, in a blog post.

"We hope this helps put into perspective the numbers involved, and lays to rest some of the hyperbolic and false assertions in some recent press accounts about the frequency and scope of the data requests that we receive." He added.

"This only impacts a tiny fraction of Microsoft's global customer base," said Microsoft's deputy general counsel in a blog post.

"We continue to believe that what we are permitted to publish continues to fall short of what is needed to help the community understand and debate these issues." He added.

Both companies have said that they are looking to release more information to restore public confidence in the security of their data.