Overview

• Apple has updated its law enforcement policies to require a court order before handing over user's push notification data.
• The change follows a letter from U.S. Senator Ron Wyden to the Department of Justice, revealing that governments can surveil smartphone users by requesting their push notification data.
• Google already requires a court order to release such data, according to company statements.
• Push notifications pass through Apple and Google's servers, making certain data accessible to these companies and potentially to law enforcement.
• Users are advised to exercise caution when granting push notification access to certain apps.