Google: U.S. probed 21,000 users in first half of 2013

Google's recent "transparency" report said U.S. government agencies asked the company for information on 21,000 users or accounts through search warrants, wire taps, court orders, and subpoenas in the first six months of 2013.

Verizon Communications Inc., one of the nation's largest Internet and phone operators, now says it will publish similar information and make the information available online in early 2014.

The telecom giant will update the information every six months.

Verizon says it is seeking to clarify what details it can report on "the number of National Security Letters it received. Similar to transparency reports published by other major Internet companies, Verizon's report will not disclose information about other national security requests received by the company."

Edward Snowden's leaked disclosures in 2013 revealed the extensive collection of phone and Internet data by the National Security Agency, an issue that raised privacy concerns with Americans and has lawmakers' attention in Washington.

Some have called for the NSA's data-collection programs, a response to the September 2001 terror attacks, to be more tightly regulated.

Telecom and technology companies have lobbied federal lawmakers on privacy legislation in recent years.

Verizon would not comment Tuesday beyond a recent statement.

Randal S. Milch, Verizon's executive vice president of public policy, said, "In the past year, there has been a greater focus than ever on the use of legal demands by governments around the world to obtain customer data. Like others in the industry, the aim of our transparency report is to keep our customers informed about government requests for their data and how we respond to those requests."

Facebook and Yahoo also publish transparency reports. Comcast Corp., the nation's largest residential Internet provider and one of the nation's largest phone companies, is evaluating the issue.