Who can access your comments

These requests run the gamut – from things like a local sheriff trying to find a missing child to a federal marshal tracking a fugitive and a police department investigating an assault to a national-security official investigating a terrorist threat. The requests involved between 18,000 and 19,000 user accounts.

 

TWITTER: In the first half of 2013, the operators got 1,157 requests from 35 governments seeking information for 1,697 specific accounts. 

In the latest Report on Information Requests, Thailand was not included in the list of those seeking information. The United States filed 902 requests for information related to 1,319 Twitter accounts. The US leads the way, comprising 78 per cent of all requests received, followed by Japan with a total of 8 per cent of the overall requests, up from 6 per cent in July-December 2012.

Since the inception of its Transparency Report in July 2012, Twitter has received inquiries from 35 different governments. From January to June 2013, the company received requests from 26 governments, with an increase of about 15 per cent since July to December 2012.

According to Twitter’s Transparency Report, information has been sought in relation with criminal investigations or cases. 

 

LINE: According to its privacy policy (http://line.naver.jp/line_rules/en/), the operator says that information used when creating a new account, such as telephone number and e-mail address, will be used for the aims and purposes of the service only and will not be visible to other users. 

The statement also says the company will never provide user information to any third parties except when the law requires it to do so.