Facebook turns down Bangladesh's request for user account data

Facebook Inc has rejected several requests by the Bangladesh government for data on users from January to July this year.

The social media giant made the disclosure in its Global Government Requests Report on Wednesday.

It noted that there has been a global increase in content restrictions and government requests for data. 

Government requests for account data increased across the world by 18 percent to 41,214 from 35,051 during the January-July period, Facebook said in the report posted on its website.

It scrutinises each request it receives for legal sufficiency. 

"We respond to valid requests relating to criminal cases," Facebook said about Bangladesh's requests. 

"Each and every request we receive is checked for legal sufficiency and we reject or require greater specificity on requests that are overly broad or vague."

It said the company "will continue to apply a rigorous approach to every government request we receive" to protect people’s information.

Last year, Facebook, Microsoft, Yahoo and Alphabet Inc, formerly Google, began publishing details about the number of government requests for data they receive.

"Facebook does not provide any government with "back doors" or direct access to people's data," the company said in the report.

The social networking website is generally not allowed to publicise specific requests by law enforcement and spy agencies, according to Reuters.