Apple and Google admits sharing push notification data with governments
Governments around the world have been quietly monitoring app usage through push notifications on smartphones, and US Senator Ron Wyden is calling for more transparency. It turns out that when you get a notification, the data doesn’t go directly from the app to your phone; it’s routed through digital channels controlled by the operating system providers, Apple and Google. This process involves sharing metadata with these tech giants, which can include the app receiving the notification, the time it was sent, and the device it was intended for. Sometimes, even the content of the notification might be shared unencrypted.
Senator Wyden’s investigation into these practices began after a tip-off in the spring of 2022. He found that not only could governments compel Apple and Google to hand over this data without public knowledge, but also that these companies were legally prohibited from informing users about these requests. Wyden argues that companies should be able to disclose these demands to the public, especially when they come from foreign governments. In response to the findings, Apple has pledged to include a new section in its transparency report specifically dedicated to push notification requests, while Google has stated that it already documents these requests in its existing transparency reports.
The exact scale of these data requests is still unclear, as neither Apple nor Google has provided detailed reporting on past requests for push notification data. However, a source close to the investigation revealed that both US and foreign governments have been using these requests to link anonymous app users to specific accounts. The foreign governments involved are described as democracies allied with the US. Senator Wyden is pushing for the Department of Justice to not only end the secrecy surrounding these requests but to also enhance transparency by allowing companies to publish aggregate statistics and notify individual users about data demands.
Apple and Google are now moving towards greater transparency regarding government requests for user data, particularly push notification data. Apple’s next transparency report will break out these requests separately, and Google has confirmed that it already reports such data in aggregate. While the full extent of government surveillance through push notifications remains unknown, these tech giants are taking steps to inform users about legal demands for their data, in line with Senator Wyden’s push for more open disclosure.
Source: Apple admits to secretly giving governments push notification data | Ars Technica
