The Twitter Transparency Report revealed important and contemplative information that confirms the high level of the Saudi security authorities in combating terrorism and extremism. The report stated that the number of accounts that were closed from August 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016 is 636,248 accounts.
But what are the response rates of Twitter to implement the 6,062 government requests for the second half of 2016 related to obtaining information for 11,417 accounts? What is the percentage of Twitter's response to the Saudi government's requests for Twitter account information, compared to the major countries, from the first half of 2013 to the second half of 2016?
The Transparency Report for the second half of 2016 indicates that the US government topped the list of countries in the number of requests to obtain information for Twitter accounts, reaching 2,304 requests for 5,618 accounts, while Twitter executed 82% of the requests. Comparing the number of US requests for the second half of 2016 with the same period of 2015, we also note that the US government topped the list of requests by reaching 2,673 requests for 7,435 accounts, with an implementation rate of 79%. We find that there is a decrease in the number of requests in the second half of 2016, with an increase in the rate of implementation of US government requests by 3%, from 79% to 82%, which is the highest rate of cooperation between Twitter and the US government.
Britain ranked second in the list of the number of requests, reaching 681 requests for 1017 accounts for the second half of 2016, with Twitter responding to the implementation of 79% of the requests. While Twitter responded to the implementation of 76% of 427 requests for 956 accounts for the same period in 2015. It confirms the increase in the percentage of “Twitter” cooperation with the British government by 3% for the second half of 2016, which is the highest percentage of cooperation between them.
As for France, it suffered a lot from Twitter's intransigence, and it submitted 501 requests to obtain information for 587 accounts, and only 69% were implemented for the second half of 2016. While France submitted 707 requests to provide information for 866 accounts, and Twitter did not implement only 61% for the same period. For the year 2015. It is noted that Twitter’s cooperation with the French government’s requests increased by 8%, but it was not the highest rate. The highest rate of implementation of the French government’s requests was recorded in the first half of 2016, reaching 76%.
As for the number of requests submitted by Saudi Arabia for the second half of 2016, it reached 45 requests for 58 accounts, and this reflects the true and honorable image of the Saudi authorities in combating terrorism with the decrease in the use of the Internet by terrorist groups within the Kingdom, and Twitter implemented 78% of the number of requests. There is a significant decrease in the number of requests compared to the same period in 2015, as the number of Saudi requests recorded 113 requests for 167 accounts, with Twitter implementing 85% of the requests, which is the highest implementation rate for Saudi requests. It is noted that the percentage of "Twitter" cooperation in implementing the Saudi government's requests decreased by 7% in the second half of 2016.
Turkey comes on the list most affected by Twitter, as it has not implemented any request to obtain information on 3,437 accounts since the beginning of the 2012 Transparency Report. For example, Turkey made 493 requests for information on 1,076 accounts in the second half of 2016, and in the first half. For the year 2016, I also submitted 280 requests related to 443 accounts, and Twitter ignored these requests.
The results of the analysis of the Transparency Report to find out the extent of Twitter cooperation with countries:
Among the results of the analysis of the Twitter Transparency Report from the first half of 2013 to the second half of 2016, it is clear that Twitter at some point was an obstacle in the fight against terrorism by monopolizing information by following a selective policy in implementing government requests regarding providing account information, by ignoring requests Many important countries, except for America, are as follows:
• 1%, the percentage of implementation of the Saudi government's requests amounting to 189 requests for 196 accounts in the first half of 2014.
• 8% the rate of implementation of the French government's requests amounting to 36 requests for 51 accounts in the first half of 2014.
• 12% the rate of implementation of the German government's requests amounting to 17 requests for 18 accounts in the second half of 2014.
• 15% of the implementation rate of the British government's requests amounting to 26 requests for 29 accounts, as it was also not spared from ignoring "Twitter" and it was in the first half of 2013.
• 67% of the implementation rate of the US government's requests amounting to 902 requests for 1319 accounts in the first half of 2013. This confirms the selective policy in implementing requests for countries.
Twitter fulfills 85% of Saudi requests
It is clear from the transparency report that the rates of implementation of countries’ requests by Twitter have increased, which has been evident since the beginning of 2015, and reached the highest level in 2016 after pressure from European countries, especially after the arrival of terrorist operations in Europe, as follows:
• 64% implementation rate of 6062 applications for 11417 accounts for the second half of 2016.
• 69% implementation rate of 5,676 requests for 13,152 accounts for the first half of 2016.
• 64% implementation rate of 5,560 applications for 12,176 accounts for the second half of 2015.
• 58% implementation rate of 4,363 applications for 12,711 accounts for the first half of 2015.
• 52% implementation rate of 2871 requests for 7144 accounts for the second half of 2014.
• 52% implementation rate of 2058 requests for 3131 accounts for the first half of 2014.
The increase in the implementation of requests is evident in the first half of 2016, with the increase in the number of accounts for which information is to be collected, reaching 13,152 accounts. However, the number of requests was not the highest, but it was in the second half of 2016 and the lowest number of accounts for which information is to be collected from the first half of the same year and the second half of 2015.
As for Twitter's cooperation with the Kingdom by providing information about the required accounts, the report shows from the first half of 2013 to the second half of 2016 that Twitter implemented requests for Saudi Arabia at high rates that reached 85% in the second half of 2015 (113 requests out of 167). accounts) and the first half of 2016 (99 applications for 156 accounts), surpassing many superpowers such as Britain, which reached the highest implementation rate at 79% (681 applications for 1017 accounts), and France, which did not exceed the implementation rate of requests more than 76% (572 applications for 687 accounts). Germany did not exceed 58% (111 applications for 165 accounts) for the same period. The execution rates of the Kingdom’s requests, the superpower, exceeded America, which did not exceed 82% (2520 requests for 8009 accounts).
This is evidence of the great confidence and reputation that the Kingdom enjoys globally in combating terrorism. Thus, Saudi Arabia was able to be a model in the fight against terrorism, and the response of the blue bird is evidence of that achievement, but the Twitter report needs more transparency regarding the accounts that have been closed and their geographical locations. Twitter needs to close influential accounts, not quantity.
* Member of the American Academy of Forensic Medicine – Digital Evidence
Dr.. Abdul Razzaq bin Abdulaziz Al-Murjan*