Beginning in 2009, Google has published bi-annual updates to its Transparency Report, providing numbers on how many requests has received all over the world. Since that first iteration, Google has made the report deeper and more informative, adding information about compliance rates, copyright-based removal requests, and breaking down the data by type of request -- subpoena, warrant, or "other." In an update today, Google has created a new section called "Legal Process" which starts to answer some of those questions.

First, Google says, "When we receive such a request, our team reviews the request to make sure it satisfies legal requirements and Google's policies. Generally speaking, for us to comply, the request must be made in writing, signed by an authorized official of the requesting agency and issued under an appropriate law." They company will seek to narrow requests it deems are "overly broad." In the accompanying blog post, Drummond says, "We do this frequently."

Then, once a request has been deemed valid, Google will notify users when possible. Sometimes we can't, either because we're legally prohibited (in which case we sometimes seek to lift gag orders or unseal search warrants) or we don't have their verified contact information," Drummond writes.

Finally, in his post, Drummond clarifies that Google will not provide a user's search-query information or the contents of a user's account (email content, pictures, documents, etc.) without a warrant. (Subpoenas are easier to obtain than warrants.) Although the U.S. Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) does not require a warrant for emails older than 180 days, Google says it believes that under the Fourth Amendment a warrant is required. In addition, Google has advocated for updating ECPA, "so the same protections that apply to your personal documents that you keep in your home also apply to your email and online documents."

Google's policies on these questions aren't significant only because so many people around the world use Google. The company is also the industry leader in setting standards upon which many smaller companies -- Twitter, most prominently -- will model their own. If Google can establish clear practices now that somehow balance the competing needs of law-enforcement agencies and private users, that effort will pay off -- in tough situation after tough situation, across platforms and countries, in the years ahead.