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.
Category
Requests
Account identifiers
Percentage of requests where some data was produced
Total
7,235
12,308
85%
Subpoena
1,944
4,103
82%
PRTT
68
97
96%
Court order
219
441
85%
Search warrant
4,241
6,766
88%
EDR
755
885
77%
Wiretap order
8
16
100%
Summons
73
337
89%
Country
Emergency requests
Account Identifiers for Emergency Requests
Percentage of emergency requests where some data was produced 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
Total
211
247
67%
424
669
1%
Argentina
0
0
N/A
3
5
0%
Australia
1
1
100%
8
10
0%
Austria
0
0
N/A
3
6
0%
Brazil
0
0
N/A
2
5
0%
Canada
65
72
75%
5
5
0%
Denmark
2
2
50%
16
23
0%
France
23
30
65%
89
108
0%
Germany
0
0
N/A
48
69
0%
Iceland
0
0
N/A
2
2
0%
India
0
0
N/A
15
21
0%
Ireland
3
3
100%
0
0
N/A
Israel
1
1
0%
0
0
N/A
Lithuania
0
0
N/A
1
1
0%
Luxembourg
0
0
N/A
1
1
0%
Netherlands
1
5
0%
0
0
N/A
Norway
2
1
0%
13
71
0%
Oman
0
0
N/A
1
1
0%
Pakistan
0
0
N/A
1
1
0%
Paraguay
0
0
N/A
1
4
0%
Poland
1
1
0%
2
3
0%
Singapore
1
1
0%
4
4
0%
Spain
0
0
N/A
3
3
0%
Sweden
1
2
0%
20
38
0%
Switzerland
4
6
100%
4
5
25%
UK
106
122
63%
175
244
2%
Ukraine
0
0
N/A
1
29
0%
National security
Requests
Account identifiers*
NSLs and FISA orders/directives
O-249
0–249
Reporting period
Removal requests
Percentage of requests where some content was removed
1 January 2018 – 30 June 2018
0
N/A
Note: Although we do not formally track when we've removed content that violates our policies after a request has been made by a governmental entity, we believe it is an extremely rare occurrence. When we believe it is necessary to restrict content that is deemed unlawful in a particular country, but does not otherwise violate our policies, we seek to restrict access to it geographically when possible, rather than remove it globally.
DMCA takedown notices
Percentage of requests where some content was removed
43
70%
DMCA counter-notices
Percentage of requests where some content was reinstated
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.