Web giant Google stated on Tuesday that "government surveillance is on the rise."

(photo: Robert Scoble via flickr) The troubling and continuing trend is noted in its sixth and most recent Transparency Report disclosing the number of government requests for user data, as well as removal requests, Google has received.

In the new report, which covers January to June 2012, Google includes a country-by-country breakdown of requests from government agencies and courts for user data.  It received nearly 21,000 requests from various countries for user data, but it is the U.S. that tops the charts for the 6-month period with 7,969 requests affecting over 16,000 users or accounts, and 90% of those requests were either partly or fully complied with.

India and Brazil followed the U.S. for the highest number of requests for user data, with 2,319 and 1,566 requests respectively.

Google notes in a blog post about the report that, while country to country numbers vary for requests for user data or content removal, "in aggregate around the world, the numbers continue to go up."

# # #