As discussed in Chapter 2, cooperation with service providers is essential. With this in mind, the table below provides high-level summaries of some service providers PILON members may seek information from, either directly or through MLA. Information relating to other service providers may be found at Search-ISP list or internet search.
Most service providers have developed and published law enforcement guidelines. It is highly recommended that officers read the relevant guidelines for the service provider they wish to seek information from in the first instance. These guidelines usually include information about the providers preferred way of being contacted by law enforcement with most larger companies having a dedicated ‘portal’ or ‘law enforcement system’ that must be used for making requests (preservation, emergency and in some circumstances non-content data). These portals enable law enforcement officers seeking data for investigations that relate to a particular service provider to quickly and securely request this data. The portals can only be used by law enforcement personnel and often require an acknowledgment that by accessing the portal and submitting a request you are authorised to represent a law enforcement agency.
For service providers that do not have a dedicated portal or specific forms, a generic preservation request template and generic emergency request template is available for download on the PILON website.
The information in this chapter was current at the time of finalising this Handbook, but contact information and procedures are subject to change and should be verified on the relevant webpage every time before being relied upon.
Tip: Keep in mind that communications with service providers should be sent by the relevant law enforcement agency from an official email address or using an official government or law enforcement agency letterhead.
Service Providers A-D
Airbnb
Airbnb is an online marketplace and hospitality service for people to lease or rent short-term lodging including holiday cottages, apartments, homestays, hostel beds or hotel rooms.
Contact:
Airbnb Ireland UC
Law Enforcement Liaison
8 Hanover Quay
Dublin 2, Ireland
Airbnb
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino CA 95014 USA
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- LEA seeking data from the Airbnb platform can be found here and need to register with the Airbnb Law Enforcement Portal.
- Requests not from US law enforcement should generally be directed to Airbnb Ireland except for requests involving Japan or China.
- Requests from US law enforcement should be addressed to Airbnb Inc. located in San Francisco, California.
- Airbnb Ireland, Airbnb GSL, and Airbnb China have a policy of using reasonable efforts to notify affected users when they receive a valid Law Enforcement Request seeking user data.
- If the concerned user is a non-United States resident, law enforcement officers should serve the request on Airbnb Ireland.
- Emergencies: Use ‘emergency request’ button on portal.
Amazon (Amazon.com and Amazon Web Services)
Amazon is an electronic commerce and cloud computing company.
Contact:
Amazon.com Inc.
Corporation Service Company
MC-CSC1, 300 Deschutes Way SW Suite 208
Tumwater WA 98501 USA
Attn: Legal Department – Subpoena
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Amazon Law Enforcement Guidelines.
- Amazon only accepts service of subpoenas, search warrants and other legal process through the Amazon Law Enforcement System (portal).
- Non-US LEA requests must go through legal and diplomatic channels in its jurisdiction, including through MLA or letters rogatory processes.
- Preservation: upon receipt of lawful and binding request, will preserve requested information for up to 90 days.
- Emergencies: Use ‘Submit Emergency Request’ button on homepage of portal.
Apple
Apple is an American multinational technology company that designs, develops and sells consumer electronics, computer software and online services.
Contact:
Apple Inc.
Attention: Privacy and Law Enforcement Compliance
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino CA 95014 USA
Email:
lawenforcement@apple.com
exigent@apple.com (for emergency requests)
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Apple Legal Process Guidelines for Government and Law Enforcement outside the US and for Government and Law Enforcement within the US.
- Government and law enforcement personnel outside of the United States transmitting an information request to Apple should complete a Government & Law Enforcement Information Request template.
- When making a requested require law enforcement to include the following information with the legal request so the request can be verified: Law Enforcement Agency Law Enforcement Agent Name and Badge/ID number Agency issued email address Law Enforcement Phone number (with extension if applicable) Verifiable physical return address Law Enforcement Fax number.
- Preservation: 90 days. Must include the relevant Apple ID/account email address, or full name and phone number, and/or full name and physical address of the subject Apple account.
- Emergencies: Complete Emergency Government & Law Enforcement Information Request form and send to exigent@apple.com.
BlackBerry
Blackberry is an enterprise software multi-national company specializing in enterprise software.
Contact:
BlackBerry Limited
BlackBerry Legal Department
2200 University Avenue East, Waterloo
Ontario, Canada N2K 0A7
Email:
lawfulaccess@blackberry.com
pso.au@blackberry.com (for enquiries)
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Use PINs and/or IMEIs as identifiers for accounts.
- Preservation: 90 days, contact lawfulaccess@blackberry.com.
Booking.com
Booking.com is a travel metasearch engine for lodging reservations. It is owned and operated by and is the primary revenue source of United States-based Booking Holdings and is headquartered in Amsterdam.
Contact:
Booking.com B.V.
Herengracht 597
1017 CE, Amsterdam Netherlands
Portal:
Booking.com Law enforcement request portal (only for emergency requests and for use by Dutch authorities)
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Booking.com Law Enforcement Guidelines.
- Booking.com B.V. is the data controller for any personal data collected through the Booking.com online reservation services.
- All data disclosure requests must be addressed to Booking.com B.V.
- Only accepts requests through the formal mutual assistance process through Dutch authorities.
- Preservation: Will not provide preservation in advance of a MAR.
- Emergencies: Will accept emergency disclosure requests if fulfil requirements in Guidelines.
Dropbox
DropBox is a file hosting service that offers cloud storage, file synchronization, personal cloud and client software.
Contact:
Dropbox
333 Brannan Street
San Francisco CA 94107
Email:
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Dropbox law enforcement guidelines are available by request (email legalcompliance@dropbox.com).
Service Providers E-H
eBay
eBay, Inc. is an American multinational e-commerce corporation that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. The company manages the eBay website, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a wide variety of goods and services worldwide.
Contact:
eBay
Attn: Law Enforcement eRequest System
2211 North First Street
San Jose CA 95131
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- eBay Law Enforcement Guide.
- eBay’s online Law Enforcement eRequest System (LERS) are handled manually and are processed in approximately 10 days.
- eBay’s Global Asset Protection (GAP) Team promotes the safe use of its platforms and to collaborate with local, federal and international law enforcement in apprehending and prosecuting criminals.
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service.
The ‘Facebook Family of Apps’ includes Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.
Contact:
Facebook Inc.
Facebook Security,
LE Response Team,1
601 Willow Road
Menlo Park CA 94025
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Online Law Enforcement Response System (“The Portal”).
- Facebook’s Safety Centre set outs Information for law enforcement authorities that provide guidance for LEA seeking records from Facebook and Instagram.
- Facebook owns what it refers to as the ‘Facebook Family of Apps’ which includes Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.
- Facebook users can access a history of their own activity on Facebook and/or download their own information using the ‘Download your information’ feature from their account settings. More information on someone accessing their own data can be found at com/help/accessyourdata.
- Information on hacking of a Facebook account can be found at com/hacked.
- Information about online safety can be found at com/safety.
- Abusive content on Facebook can be reported at com/report.
- Preservation: 90 days; Submit request through Portal noting Facebook automatically deletes records once the preservation expires. If the Facebook Portal does not allow preservation, this means there is no account for the user.
- Emergencies: Submit a request through Portal.
Google is a multinational technology company specializing in Internet-related services and products. This includes Gmail, YouTube, Google Voice and Blogger to name a few.
Contact:
Google LLC.
Google Legal, Investigations Support
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View CA 94043
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Legal requests for user data should be submitted through the Google Law Enforcement Request System (LERS).
- LERS requires each user to register for a unique account to submit legal requests.
- Further information on Google treats requests for user information can be found on the Transparency Report Help Centre
- Users can use Google Takeout to create an archived file of their own content from most Google services, and can then choose to share that content as they wish.
- Preservation: 1 year (with possibility of extension) if MAR is underway. Otherwise 90 days.
- Emergencies: Submit a request through LERS.
Service Providers I-L
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service. The application allows users to upload media, editable by filters and organised with tags and location information as well as like photos and follow other users to add their content to a feed. Posts can be shared publicly or with pre-approved followed.
Contact:
Facebook, Inc.
Law Enforcement Response Team
1601 Willow Road
Menlo Park CA 94025
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Information for Law Enforcement on seeking Instagram account records.
- As Instagram part of the ‘Facebook Family of Apps’ see Facebook entry above.
KIK
Kik Messenger is a freeware instant messaging mobile application that sends and receives messages, photos, videos, sketches, mobile webpages and other content after users register a username. Kik is known for its features preserving users’ anonymity, such as allowing users to register without providing a telephone number. The application logs user IP addresses which the company can use to determine location.
Contact:
KIK, MediaLab.AI Inc.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Email:
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- KIK Law Enforcement Resource Center for Information for Law Enforcement and Kik’s Law Enforcement FAQs.
- Kik is known for its features preserving users’ anonymity, and uses usernames as the unique identifier (instead of a phone number).
- The application logs user IP addresses which Kik can use to determine location.
- Preservation: 90 days; Complete Preservation Request form and send to lawenforcement@kik.comwith “PRESERVATION REQUEST” in the subject line. Note that Kik will not be able to identify the username of a subject user without a valid US legal order. Extensions for an additional 90 days should be made by submitting a new, completed and valid preservation request at least one week before original request expires (there is an ‘extension’ box in the form) and include the original preservation request Kik ticket number for reference.
- Emergencies: See Emergency Disclosure Request page where can download an Emergency Disclosure Request form and send to lawenforcement@kik.com with “EMERGENCY DISCLOSURE REQUEST” in the subject line.
Service Providers M-P
Microsoft
Microsoft is a multinational technology company specialising in computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services.
Contact:
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond WA 98052
Portal:
Microsoft Law Enforcement Request Portal (LE Portal)
Email:
msndcc@microsoft.com (for general enquiries only)
lealert@microsoft.com (for emergency requests)
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Microsoft Law Enforcement Request Portal (LE Portal).
- Microsoft’s best known software products are Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, the Microsoft Office suite, and the Internet Explorer and Edge web browsers. Its flagship hardware products are the Xbox video game consoles and the Microsoft Surface personal computers.
- Further information about Microsoft’s data practices in handling of government requests can be found here.
- Preservation: 90 days.
- Emergencies: lealert@microsoft.com or +1 425-722-1299 (option 1) for 24/7 emergency response.
PayPal
PayPal Holdings, Inc. operates a worldwide online payments system that supports online money transfers and serves as an electronic alternative to traditional paper methods like checks and money orders.
Contact:
PayPal Holdings
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- PayPal law enforcement center has information for LEA to work with and contact the Global Investigations Team including the PayPal Law Enforcement Guide.
- LEA and government agencies can submit PayPal data requests through Safety Hub – PayPal Law Enforcement Tool.
- Emergencies: Send request to lawenforcement@paypal.com with ‘Urgent Life Safety’ in the subject line.
- For asset freeze orders or emergency disclosure orders that require immediate attention, email relevant order to lawenforcement@paypal.com marked with high importance and ‘Immediate Attention’ and nature of request in the subject line.
Service Providers R-Z
Skype
Skype specializes in providing video chat and voice calls between computers, tablets, mobile devices, the Xbox One console and smartwatches via the Internet and to regular telephones.
Contact:
Skype Communications SARL
23-29 Rives de Clausen
L-2165 Luxembourg Company
No: R.C.S. Luxembourge B100.468
VAT: LU 20981643
See Microsoft entry
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Skype is headquartered in Luxembourg and is a division of Microsoft Corporation.
- Law enforcement must make specific enquiries to determine the location of the required data.
- Video chat content, where recorded by a user, may be available and this content is held by Microsoft in the US.
- Requests must be submitted in English, French or German, or must also include a translation into one of these languages.
Snapchat
Snapchat is an imaging and multimedia application. One of the principal features of Snapchat is that pictures and messages are usually only available for a short time before they become inaccessible to their recipients.
Contact:
Snap
Custodian of Records
2772 Donald Douglas Loop North
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Portal:
Snap Inc. Law enforcement online service (Snapchat emergency disclosure requests only)
Email:
lawenforcement@snapchat.com (queries and legal process requests)
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Snap Safety Centre – Information for Law Enforcement for law enforcement has information possible availability of Snapchat user records, information or content and process required to obtain it.
- Snap Inc. Law Enforcement Guide including some sample language to include in requests.
- Snapchat does not retain data for very long and is unlikely to retain content once at least one receiver has accessed the ‘Snap’ (photo or video taken using the Snapchat app’s camera on a mobile device and may be shared with user’s friends, in a Story or Chat).
- Non-US government and LEA must use MLA processes to seek user information from Snap.
- Snap retains logs for the last 31 days of Snaps sent and received, for 24 hours of posted stories, and for any unopened chats or those saved by a sender or recipient. The content is removed once all recipients have viewed it or 30 days after it was sent when unopened.
- Preservation: Will respond to properly submitted preservation requests wile MLA processes are undertaken. 90 days and will extend one additional 90-day period with formal extension request.
- Emergencies: Complete and submit the Law Enforcement Emergency Response Form at the dedicated emergency disclosure request service lawenforcement.snapchat.com/emergency.
Twitter is an online news and social networking service where users post and interact with messages called “tweets”.
Contact:
Twitter, Inc.
c/o Trust & Safety – Legal Policy
1355 Market Street
Suite 900 San Francisco CA 94103
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- Twitter Law Enforcement Guidelines.
- Legal Requests can be submitted on a dedicated Legal Request Submission site.
- A Twitter account profile often contains a profile photo, header photo, background image, and status updates, called Tweets. In addition, the account holder has the option to fill out a location (e.g., San Francisco), a URL (e.g., twitter.com), and a short “bio” section about the account for display on their public profile.
- Preservation: 90 days. Preservation requests should be signed by requesting official, have valid return official email address, be sent on law enforcement letterhead in non-editable format, and include the @username and URL of the subject Twitter profile (e.g. https://twitter.com/twittersafety(@twittersafety), and/or the Twitter account’s unique, public user identification number (UID) or a Periscope username and URL (e.g., @twittersafety and https://periscope.tv/twittersafety).
- Emergencies: law enforcement officers can submit an emergency disclosure request through the Legal Request Submissions site (the quickest and most efficient method).
WhatsApp is a freeware and cross-platform instant messaging and voice over IP (VoIP) service
Contact:
Law Enforcement Response Team
1601 Willow Road
Menlo Park CA 94025
Law enforcement information/guidelines:
- WhatsApp Information for Law Enforcement including Law Enforcement Guidelines.
- Users seeking information on their own accounts can access WhatsApp’sRequest Account Info
- Note that WhatsApp encrypts all data.
- Preservation: 90 days. Submit request via WhatsApp Law Enforcement Online Request System.
- Emergencies: Submit request via WhatsApp Law Enforcement Online Request System and include the word “EMERGENCY” in the subject line of your message.