The UK leads global demand for user data from Big Tech, including the number of emergency requests. For years, the UK government has been seeking user data from major tech companies such as Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft, with the number of requests steadily rising. According to a report from cybersecurity company Surfshark, the UK is among the highest requesters in the world, with a total of 543,000 requested accounts. Moreover, the emergency requests from the UK are consistently increasing each year as well.

The UK ranks 5th in the world with a total of 542,755 requested accounts.  In terms of density, the UK made 793 requests per 100K people and ranks 4th. The global average account request density is 154 per 100k people.

The US and EU authorities request data the most. They account for 55 per cent of all interest accounts from 2013 to mid-2024. Comparatively, the US requested over twice as many accounts per 100K people as all the EU countries.

Emergency requests skyrocketed over the years

Interestingly, emergency requests that bypass usual legal processes are going into an upward trend. Since 2013, a total of 153,000 account data requests have been made globally in cases of emergency. However, only the first quarter of 2024 has already seen 15,000 requests.

Overall, the UK accounts for the highest percentage of emergency data requests globally, making up 26 per cent (or 40K accounts) of all such requests. The US follows with 22 per cent (or 34K accounts). The UAE accounts for 10.5 per cent, which is notable considering its smaller population compared to countries like India (2.3 per cent) or Germany (2 per cent).

“Emergency requests are typically made in situations when there is an imminent threat to life or severe injury, for example, suicide threats or school shootings. The concerning part is that often these urgent government or law enforcement requests bypass standard legal procedures such as a subpoena or court order to quickly access user data and prevent harm. If governments start to abuse these practices, for example, by interpreting ‘threats’ too broadly,  it can lead to mass surveillance, the collection of vast amounts of data, and it can compromise essential freedoms,” commented Goda Sukackaite, Privacy Counsel at Surfshark.

According to Sukackaite, emergency requests serve an important role in safeguarding lives and public safety, however, they require careful regulation and oversight to protect individual rights and prevent potential abuse.

Google, Microsoft and Apple provide information about the number of emergency requests they receive, while Meta doesn’t specify it. Google received 85 per cent of all emergency requests and was the only company reporting them between 2013 and 2015. In 2013, Google received 392 requests, and in 2023 this number had already reached 25.5,000. Apple accounted for 10 per cent of emergency requests, and Microsoft for 5 per cent. Both companies have shown similar trends to Google’s.

As governments request more, Big Tech’s compliance rate steadily increases

Globally, between 2013 and 2021, compliance was, on average, 70 per cent, while from 2022 to mid-2024, the average compliance rate increased to 78 per cent.

Looking at individual Big Tech numbers in the UK: 

•   Google received 131,572 requests and complied with 108,731 of them, resulting in a compliance rate of 82.6 per cent. The total number of requested accounts was 4,715,815.

•    Meta received 166,339 requests and complied with 144,169 of them, resulting in a compliance rate of 86.7 per cent. The total number of requested accounts was 5,217,553.

•    Apple received 16,729 requests and complied with 14,023 of them, resulting in a compliance rate of 83.8 per cent. The total number of requested accounts was 973,030.

•    Microsoft received 86,374 requests and complied with 64,780 of them, resulting in a compliance rate of 75 per cent. The total number of requested accounts was 1,209,374.

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Categories: Articles, Research

Tags: apple, google, Microsoft, surfshark