Amazon Breaks Silence On Disclosure Requests and PRISM

Governments have been requesting people’s details for a while now, from their internet providers to web-based forums, companies have been asked to reveal a myriad of information about their users with a variety of reasons. Amazon has recently revealed how many data demands they received from the government.

Revealing it in a blog post on Friday, Amazon’s chief Information security Officer, Stephen Schmit, posted regarding not only the information requests but sought to clarify their participation, or lack of,  in the government’s PRISM program.

The blog states that:

• Amazon has never participated in the PRISM program and have challenged government requests for information which they believed were “overboard”
• They do not disclose information about amazon customers unless; there is a clear indication that something done via amazon was illegal or they are legally required to for a valid and legally binding order
• They accept that government and law enforcement agencies are required to investigate criminal and terrorist activities
• They oppose any legislation or mandate that would lead to the restriction or weakening of security or encryption for both their own or their customers use.

After many years of being silent they have announced formally that they did not take part in PRISM and were protecting people’s details, even going so far as to inform people before they had to hand over their details (unless doing so was deemed illegal).

Good guy Amazon!

Thank you Amazon Security blog for the information.

Image courtesy of UEUnion.