Big tech companies like Apple, Google, and Meta have reportedly been handing over millions of user data to the US government, according to a study by Swiss privacy firm Proton. The study found that government requests for user data have been increasing, leading tech firms to comply with US authorities. This trend is also prevalent in Europe, with governments there making similar requests. Proton's analysis of transparency reports from the three companies revealed that the number of accounts shared with law enforcement has increased by over 600% in the past decade. While Proton does not criticize the companies' compliance with law enforcement, it suggests that investing in encryption could help protect user information from government intrusion. However, government agencies can still gain access to data through subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants. The US government can also use national security letters to force tech firms to release user information. Other governments, including Germany, France, and Italy, have also made similar requests. Google's transparency report shows an increase in government requests for user data worldwide, with European governments submitting more requests since 2020. Meta and Google claim to carefully review all requests for legal sufficiency before disclosing information. They may reject or require more specific requests.



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