These guidelines are intended for law enforcement personnel seeking to request information about Twitter users. More general information on Twitter's Rules can be found here.
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Twitter is a real-time information network powered by people all around the world that lets users share and discover what's happening now. Users send 140-character messages through our website and mobile site, client applications, or any variety of third-party applications. For more information, you can also visit https://twitter.com/about.
For the latest on Twitter's features and functions please visit our Help Center.
User information is held by Twitter, Inc. in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. We require a subpoena, court order, or other valid legal process to disclose information about our users.
Most Twitter profile information is public, so anyone can see it. A Twitter profile contains a profile image, background image, and status updates, called Tweets. In addition, the user has the option to fill out location, a URL, and a short "bio" section about themselves for display on their public profile. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information on the data we collect from users.
Twitter provides photo hosting for some image uploads as well as a user's profile image and account background image; Twitter does not, however, provide hosting for videos, nor is Twitter the sole photo hosting provider for images that may appear on the Twitter service. More information can be found on our photo and video sharing pages.
Twitter retains different types of information for different time periods. Given Twitter's real-time nature, some information may only be stored for a very brief period of time. Information on our retention policies can be found in our Privacy Policy.
Preservation requests in accordance with applicable law must be signed, include the username and URL of the Twitter profile in question (e.g., @safety and https://twitter.com/safety), a valid return email address, and be sent on law enforcement letterhead. Requests may be sent via the methods described below.
In accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, non-public information about Twitter users is not released except as lawfully required by appropriate legal process such as a subpoena, court order, or other valid legal process.
Some information we store is automatically collected, while other information is provided at the user’s discretion. Though we do store this information, it may not be accurate if the user has created a fake or anonymous profile. Twitter doesn’t require email verification or identity authentication.
Twitter, Inc. is located in San Francisco, California and will only respond in compliance with U.S. law to valid legal process. For example, requests for contents of communication require a U.S. search warrant.
Twitter evaluates emergency disclosure requests on a case-by-case basis. If we receive information that gives us a good faith belief that there is an emergency involving the death or serious physical injury to a person, we may provide information necessary to prevent that harm, if we have it.
U.S. law authorizes Twitter to respond to requests for user information from foreign law enforcement agencies that are issued via U.S. court either by way of a mutual legal assistance treaty or a letter rogatory. It is our policy to respond to such U.S. court ordered requests.
Yes. Twitter's policy is to notify users of requests for their information prior to disclosure unless we are prohibited from doing so by statute or court order (e.g., an order under 18 U.S.C. § 2705(b)).
When requesting user information, your request must include:
You can fax Twitter, attention Trust & Safety, at: 1-415-222-9958. Or you can mail your request to Twitter:
Twitter, Inc.
c/o Trust & Safety
795 Folsom Street
Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94107
Twitter only accepts legal process from law enforcement agencies delivered by mail or fax. Acceptance of legal process by these means is for convenience only and does not waive any objections, including the lack of jurisdiction or proper service. We do not accept legal process via email.
To make an emergency request, please email lawenforcement@twitter.com, which we continuously monitor; you will receive an automated response that you must reply to in order for us to see your report (NOTE: our support system removes all attachments, please include the contents in the body of the message). Alternatively, fax your request to: 1-415-222-9958.
Please be sure to include the Twitter username and URL (e.g., @safety and https://twitter.com/safety) of the subject account, the nature of the emergency, any specific Tweets you would like us to review, and all other available details including how information from us may be necessary to prevent that emergency.
Other general inquiries can be sent via email to: lawenforcement@twitter.com; you will receive an automated response that you must reply to in order for us to see your inquiry. NOTE: We do not accept legal process via email; our support system will remove all attachments so please include all content in the body of your email.
Only email from law enforcement domains will be accepted. All others will be disregarded. Non-law enforcement requests should be sent through our regular support methods (https://support.twitter.com).
