Snapchat transparency reports are released twice a year. These reports provide important insight into the volume and nature of governmental requests for Snapchatters' account information and other legal notifications.
Since 15 November 2015, our policy has been to notify Snapchatters when we've received legal processing seeking their account information, with exceptions for cases where we are legally prohibited from doing so or when we believe there are exceptional circumstances (such as child exploitation or an imminent risk of death or bodily harm).
For more information about how we handle law enforcement data requests, please take a look at our Law Enforcement Guide, Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Reporting period
Requests
Account identifiers
Percentage of requests where some data was produced
1 January 2016 – 30 June 2016
1,472
2,455
82%
Subpoena
590
1,076
76%
Pen register order
4
4
50%
Court order
80
103
86%
Search warrant
722
1,180
87%
Emergency
72
78
82%
Wiretap order
4
14
100%
National security
Requests
Account identifiers*
1 January 2016 – 30 June 2016
NSLs and FISA orders/directives
O-249
0–249
Reporting period
Emergency requests
Account Identifiers for Emergency Requests
Percentage of emergency requests where some data was produced
Other information requests
Account Identifiers for Other Requests
Percentage of other information requests where some data was produced
1 January 2016 – 30 June 2016
41
51
63%
85
87
0%
Australia
0
0
N/A
2
1
0%
Belgium
0
0
N/A
1
2
0%
Canada
13
17
77%
1
1
0%
Czech Republic
0
N/A
N/A
1
1
0%
Denmark
2
3
50%
0
N/A
0%
France
2
2
100%
23
22
0%
Germany
0
N/A
N/A
18
18
0%
India
0
N/A
N/A
2
2
0%
Ireland
0
N/A
N/A
2
3
0%
Luxembourg
0
N/A
N/A
1
1
0%
Norway
1
1
0%
3
3
0%
Poland
0
N/A
N/A
1
1
0%
Portugal
0
N/A
N/A
1
1
0%
Spain
0
N/A
N/A
3
7
0%
Sweden
1
1
0%
5
5
0%
United Kingdom
22
27
59%
21
19
0%
Reporting period
Removal requests
Percentage of requests where some content was removed
1 January 2016 – 30 June 2016
0
N/A
Reporting period
DMCA takedown notices
Percentage of requests where some content was removed
1 January 2016 – 30 June 2016
16
94%
Reporting period
DMCA counter-notices
Percentage of requests where some content was reinstated
1 January 2016 – 30 June 2016
0
N/A
* “Account Identifiers” reflects the number of identifiers (e.g. username, email address, phone number) specified by law enforcement in legal processing when requesting user information. Some legal processing may include more than one identifier. In some instances, multiple identifiers may identify a single account. In instances where a single identifier is specified in multiple requests, each instance is included.