Companies are taking these steps in response to rising disquiet among consumers and human rights groups about a lack of transparency in such decisions [to respond to government requests for user information]. Several telcos have released their transparency reports this year, including CREDO and Verizon (USA), Telstra (Australia), Rogers Communications Inc. and TekSavvy Solutions Inc. (Canada). Other companies in the broader ICT sector which regularly publish transparency reports include Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo!, Apple, Linkedin and Dropbox.

Vodafone’s report focuses on 29 countries where it directly controls operations (including joint ventures in Australia, Kenya and Fiji), and in which the company received a lawful demand for assistance from a law enforcement agency or government authority between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2014...