Firms to disclose surveillance info

SAN FRANCISCO - Several Internet companies have struck an agreement with the U.S. government to release limited information about the number of surveillance requests they receive, two sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters.

The companies are expected to release numbers of government requests, without breaking out how many originate from a controversial National Security Agency program disclosed last week intended to gather intelligence about non-U.S. residents, the sources said.

Facebook got 9,000-10,000 government data requests in second half 2012

Facebook Inc received between 9,000 and 10,000 requests for user data from various U.S. government entities in 2012's second half, involving 18,000 to 19,000 of its users' accounts, the worlds largest social network said in a Friday blogpost.

The company said it released the information after reaching a deal about disclosures with U.S. national security authorities.

Microsoft got more than 6,000 U.S. data requests in second half 2012

Microsoft Corp said on Friday that for the last six months of 2012 it received between 6,000 and 7,000 criminal and national security warrants, subpoenas and orders affecting between 31,000 and 32,000 consumer accounts from local, state and federal U.S. governmental entities.
The software company disclosed the data after reaching a deal about disclosures with U.S. national security authorities. Facebook Inc published similar data earlier on Friday.

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