Apple and Google give governments information on mobile notifications

On December 6, 2023, Apple and Google announced an update in their transparency reports for iPhones and Android smartphones. The two US giants recognize they can, upon request, provide government agencies with information on the mobile notifications of users. The matter had not, until now, been addressed in transparency reports.

Democratic Senator Ron Wyden revealed the practice in a letter sent to the US Department of Justice on December 6, 2023. He states that, in order to be delivered to its recipient, an app notification must pass through Apple and Google servers. Its content remains encrypted but its metadata, in particular the time and hour of delivery, can be transmitted to government agencies.

According to Ron Wyden, in some cases, agencies may even “receive unencrypted content.” He does not hint at mass surveillance, but reports occasional information requests, which follow a legal process, particularly in the case of an investigation. According to Reuters, the United States and “allied democracies” already use the procedure.

In his letter, Ron Wyden asks the US government to authorize Apple and Google to “inform the public” of the practice, in the spirit of transparency. In particular, he urges the two US giants to publish detailed statistics on the number of information requests.

The two corporations have confirmed the disclosure, with Apple even claiming that the US federal government had required secrecy on the issue. “Now that the method is public knowledge, we are updating our transparency report to provide details on this kind of request,” concludes Apple.