Comment on Apple sees steep increase in US national security-related data requests

Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images Apple's transparency report on government data requests shows another sharp increase in US national security-related requests. Apple said it received as many as 16,249 national security requests affecting up to 8,249 accounts during the second half of 2017. The number of requests rose 20 percent compared with the first half of 2017, when Apple received 13,499 such requests. Other tech firms also experienced a jump in national security requests between the second half of 2016 and the first half of 2017. Apple on Friday issued its twice yearly transparency report on government data requests, showing another sharp increase in US national security-related requests. Apple said it received as many as 16,249 national security requests affecting up to 8,249 accounts during the second half of 2017.