The Electronic Frontier Foundation’s newest “Who Has Your Back” report on how companies handle government requests for user data gave Apple four out of five stars, docking points only for the company’s lack of support for reforming the NSA’s surveillance programs. The EFF tweaks Apple for “not publicly [calling] for reforms to Section 702 to curtail the surveillance of innocent people,” but otherwise delivers high marks, including lauding Apple’s constant efforts to provide users with transparency whenever their data is accessed by government order.
Many information requests also come with an indefinite gag order to keep Apple from disclosing when the government collects its data, and Apple’s standard procedure includes appeals for judicial review within 30 days of why each gag order should stay in effect. “If Apple receives notice that the nondisclosure order no longer applies, it will notify the affected customer(s) pursuant to Apple’s customer notice policies,” the EFF found.
The company also scored high marks for its legal fight with the FBI after a terrorist shooting in San Bernardino led to a government request to develop a method to break into locked iPhones. [via 9to5Mac]
.
