With companies, particularly in the tech space, collecting more and more user data, there has been ongoing tension around government requests for information about individuals and a company's aim to protect the privacy of users. But since whistleblower Edward Snowden's National Security Agency revelations in 2013, the conversations on digital privacy have intensified, resulting in stronger privacy policies at some companies.

A report released Monday from the Electronic Frontier Foundation identifies the companies that are most protective of user data when it comes to government requests. For legal departments, there are plenty of considerations in creating and implementing the policies that protect users, according to the general counsel at Automattic, parent company of WordPress, which was one of this year's top-rated companies.

The EFF's seventh annual “Who Has Your Back?” report measures companies based on five criteria: adherence to industry-wide best practices; informing users about government data requests; commitment to not sell users out; push back when possible against national security letters (NSLs), which typically require companies to hand over data without revealing they've done so; and a pro-user public policy.