Apple's Latest Transparency Report Includes Geofence Requests From U.S. Government

Apple today shared a new Transparency Report providing information on customer data requests that the company received from the U.S. government in the first half of 2022.

apple logo us flag smooth
For the first time ever, Apple has reported the total number of "geofence requests" that it received from the U.S. government. These requests are meant to include specific latitude and longitudes coordinates for a specified time period, but Apple does not collect this information as part of its commitment to customer privacy, and therefore does not provide it to law enforcement, while fully respecting the legal process.

From the Transparency Report:

Apple may also receive requests from government agencies seeking customer data related to specific latitude and longitudes coordinates (geofence) for a specified time period. Apple does not have any data to provide in response to geofence requests.

For additional information, the Transparency Report is available on Apple's website as a PDF.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
airpods color prototypes

Apple Tested AirPods in Bright Colors

Saturday December 27, 2025 6:06 am PST by
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases. The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white. They seem close to some...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
maxresdefault

Hands-On With a Rough iPhone Fold Mockup

Monday December 29, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple is rumored to be introducing a foldable iPhone in September 2026, and since it will bring the biggest form factor change since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, curiosity about the design is high. A 3D designer created an iPhone Fold design based on rumors, and we printed it out to see how it compares to Apple's current iPhones. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
top stories 2025 12 27

Top Stories: iPhone Fold Mockup, Where's the New Apple TV?, and More

Saturday December 27, 2025 6:00 am PST by
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from MacRumors! News in the Apple world has unsurprisingly been relatively slow over the past week, but Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone managed to make its way back into the news, while we also shared updates on current and future Apple TV news. iOS 26.3 will be bringing some new features, particularly for users in the EU, so we'll look for additional...
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...

Top Rated Comments

F23 Avatar
30 months ago
this is why I am an Apple sheep
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JamesHolden Avatar
30 months ago
It’s great to have confirmation that Apple does not collect this data. However, I’m sure the cell service providers are more than happy to turn it over, so I’m not sure it matters whether Apple collects it or not.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cocky jeremy Avatar
30 months ago
Haha. Sorry, screw you, FBI.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
crawfish963 Avatar
30 months ago

It’s great to have confirmation that Apple does not collect this data. However, I’m sure the cell service providers are more than happy to turn it over, so I’m not sure it matters whether Apple collects it or not.
Not so much that they are happy to. They have to as geofence requests require a search warrant. But sometimes cell providers object to large geofence areas with tens of thousands of devices within the zone.


Source: am retired detective who wrote/served these warrants
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrTemple Avatar
30 months ago

It’s great to have confirmation that Apple does not collect this data. However, I’m sure the cell service providers are more than happy to turn it over, so I’m not sure it matters whether Apple collects it or not.
Oh yeah, and more. Data that's illegal for law enforcement to collect is legal for corporations to collect and sell to LEOs. ?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
crawfish963 Avatar
30 months ago

Ok, I’m sure none of these companies are “happy” to turn over anything! That said, and you no doubt can tell me if I’m wrong, the cell providers have all the geofence info, so whether Apple collects it or not, someone does…
I doubt Apple does. I’ve looked at a lot of data from warrants to Apple. Before E2E encryption it was a lot of data. Since E2E it’s almost nothing. Almost not even worth writing a warrant anymore. Apple definitely locks down stuff. Google on the other hand…

Really cell tower data is the go-to for geolocation. Google will also have a lot of GPS data.

Also most LE agencies now just go to seize the phone and use a tool like Graykey or Cellebrite Premium to get into the phone and pull geo data from that. I was previously on a task force for an alphabet agency and used those tools. Once into the phone almost everything is available to police.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)