Online services should be allowed to publish the number and types of government requests they receive, and to notify individuals when information about them has been requested. This type of transparency empowers users by helping them better understand instances and patterns of government overreach. We’ll continue to publish detailed information about these requests and advocate for the right to provide more of this important information.

Be open about the number of requests we receive

We believe in reporting the exact number of government data requests received, the laws used to justify them, and the number of accounts affected. That’s why we publish this information (to the extent the law permits) in our Transparency Report. Our Transparency Report lists the number of court orders, search warrants, subpoenas, and government removal requests we have received, and our responses. We also provide as much detail about US national security requests as the law allows. Unfortunately, our report cannot currently include the exact number we receive — if any. We’ve urged the courts and the government to allow services like Dropbox to disclose the precise number of national security requests they receive and the number of accounts affected. We’re committed to and will continue fighting on this front.

Let users know when their information is requested

We believe in providing notice to our users when a government requests their information and have fought in court to do so. However, government requests frequently include a court-granted non-disclosure order, which prohibits us from giving notice to the affected user. In cases where we receive a non-disclosure order, we notify the user when it has expired. Dropbox is also committed to following the USA FREEDOM Act. This ensures that courts have the opportunity to review non-disclosure obligations for any National Security Letters we may receive. We believe services like Dropbox should always be permitted to provide notice to affected users, and will continue advocating for this important goal.