Cecily Zamora
Dropbox is committed to transparency regarding legal requests for user information and publishes a Transparency Report to inform users about when and how governments ask for their information. The company also has Government Data Request Principles that outline its commitment to user privacy and detail its approach to dealing with government data requests. While Dropbox does notify users when their accounts are identified in a law enforcement request, court-granted non-disclosure orders may prevent them from doing so in certain cases. Dropbox also retains user information for 30 days after an account is deleted to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce agreements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Law enforcement access to user data | Dropbox scrutinizes all data requests to ensure they comply with the law and notifies users unless prohibited by law |
| Dropbox's stance on third-party access | Opposed to third-party access and would fight any attempt to require participation |
| Compliance with law enforcement | Cooperates with law enforcement and government officials to enforce and comply with the law |
| Law enforcement requests | Dropbox receives requests for user information, such as subpoenas or search warrants |
| User notification | Gag orders may prevent Dropbox from notifying users that law enforcement requested their information |
| Response rate | From Jan 2022-Jun 2022, Dropbox provided information in response to 68.5% of search warrants received |
| Exceptions | Dropbox may disclose user information to respond to legal processes, protect public safety, or prevent illegal activities |
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What You'll Learn
Law enforcement requests
Dropbox states that it is committed to providing the same level of protection to all of its users. This means scrutinizing all requests received from law enforcement, regardless of the origin of the request or user. Dropbox also publishes a Transparency Report, detailing the types and numbers of requests received from law enforcement, as well as its responses.
The company has outlined several principles regarding government data requests, including that they should not be in bulk, should relate to specific individuals and investigations, and should be evaluated and signed off on by a judicial body before being issued. Dropbox requires non-US governments to work with US government agencies so that a US court can issue the appropriate legal process.
In the event that Dropbox complies with a search warrant, the company notifies the users named in the request unless prohibited by law. However, court-granted non-disclosure orders may prevent Dropbox from notifying users that their information has been requested by law enforcement. In the second half of 2023, for example, Dropbox was unable to notify 12% of affected users due to such gag orders.
Dropbox also states that it will retain user information for as long as the user's account exists or as long as necessary to provide its services. If a user deletes their account, Dropbox will initiate deletion of this information after 30 days, but there may be some latency in deleting the information from its servers and back-up storage. Additionally, Dropbox may retain this information if necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce agreements.
Law enforcement authorities can submit legal information requests to Dropbox by emailing [email protected] with the appropriate links.
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Dropbox's transparency reports
Dropbox has been publishing a transparency report since 2012. The report details the types and numbers of requests the company receives from law enforcement agencies around the world. The company scrutinizes all data requests to make sure they comply with the law and notifies users when their accounts are identified in a law enforcement request, unless prohibited by law.
The transparency report provides context for the requests Dropbox receives. For example, in the second half of 2022, Dropbox provided some information in response to 72.2% of the search warrants received. The company also received one warrant directed at its subsidiaries, Dropbox Sign and Dropbox Fax. Notably, 12% of the search warrants were accompanied by court orders for non-disclosure of indefinite duration, known as "gag orders". These gag orders may prevent Dropbox from ever notifying affected users that law enforcement requested their information.
In the first half of 2022, Dropbox provided some information in response to 68.5% of search warrants received. Similarly, 11.4% of search warrants were accompanied by indefinite non-disclosure orders, which may have prevented Dropbox from notifying 18.8% of affected users.
Dropbox is committed to providing notice to users when their information is requested by governments. The company has fought in court for this right and opposes government agencies tapping into data center traffic or accessing user data directly. Dropbox believes that government data requests should be limited in the information they seek and narrowly tailored to specific people and legitimate investigations.
While Dropbox retains user information for as long as an account exists, the company will initiate deletion 30 days after an account is closed. However, there may be some latency in deleting information from servers and backup storage. Additionally, Dropbox may retain information to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce agreements.
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User notifications
As a user of Dropbox, you will be notified when your account is identified in a law enforcement request, unless prohibited by law. Dropbox scrutinizes all data requests to make sure they comply with the law.
Dropbox publishes a Transparency Report to inform users about when and how governments ask for information. The report details the types and numbers of requests received from law enforcement. The company also publishes a Government Data Request Principles report, which outlines its commitment to users' privacy and its approach to dealing with government data requests.
Dropbox will notify you if your data is transferred as part of a reorganization, merger, acquisition, or sale of its assets. You will be notified via a message to the email address associated with your account.
When you delete your Dropbox account, the company will initiate the deletion of your information after 30 days. However, there may be some latency in deleting the information from its servers and back-up storage. Additionally, Dropbox may retain this information if necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce agreements.
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Retention of deleted data
Dropbox offers data retention policies for team accounts, which can be used to meet compliance and regulatory requirements. There are two types of data retention policies: retention and disposition. Retention policies are based on the last activity of the file, whereas disposition policies are based on when a file was created or uploaded.
With retention policies, content will be retained until the policy ends, regardless of whether a team member deletes or permanently deletes it. Admins can still download the content at any time before it is permanently deleted. Once a retention policy is deleted, the content can no longer be downloaded.
Disposition policies, on the other hand, will automatically delete the content at the end of the policy, with permanent deletion occurring 31 days after the end of the policy. It is important to note that files may be permanently deleted before the end of the file recovery period if they are part of a data disposition policy.
For individual accounts, Dropbox retains files for a period of time, allowing users to restore them if needed. Files are recoverable for up to 30 days, after which they can be permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
Regarding law enforcement access, Dropbox publishes transparency reports and provides details on the types and numbers of requests received from law enforcement. While Dropbox notifies users when their accounts are identified in law enforcement requests, court orders for non-disclosure may prevent them from doing so in certain cases. Therefore, it is possible for law enforcement to access user data on Dropbox, but the company scrutinizes all data requests to ensure compliance with the law and prioritizes user privacy.
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Third-party access
Dropbox, like most online services, sometimes receives requests from governments and law enforcement agencies seeking information about its users. The company has a commitment to transparency regarding these requests and publishes a biannual Transparency Report, which details the types and numbers of requests received from law enforcement. The report also includes the number of court orders, search warrants, subpoenas, and government removal requests Dropbox has received, as well as their responses.
Dropbox scrutinizes all data requests to ensure they comply with the law and notifies users when their accounts are identified in a law enforcement request, unless prohibited by law. The company also provides as much detail about US national security requests as the law allows. Dropbox has urged courts and the government to allow them to disclose the precise number of national security requests and the number of accounts affected.
In some cases, Dropbox may be unable to notify users that their information has been requested due to court-granted non-disclosure orders. These gag orders may prevent Dropbox from ever notifying the affected users that their information was requested by law enforcement. For example, from July to December 2022, Dropbox received search warrants that included court orders for non-disclosure for an indefinite period, preventing them from notifying 12% of the affected users.
Dropbox also uses certain trusted third parties, such as providers of customer support and IT services, to help provide, improve, protect, and promote its services. These third parties may access user information to perform tasks on Dropbox's behalf, and the company remains responsible for their handling of user information. Additionally, Dropbox shares infrastructure, systems, and technology with other Dropbox companies and processes user information across these companies as permitted by applicable law and their terms and policies.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Dropbox receives requests from governments and law enforcement agencies seeking information about its users. Dropbox scrutinizes all data requests to make sure they comply with the law and notifies users unless prohibited by law.
Dropbox will initiate the deletion of your information after 30 days of deleting your account. However, there may be some delay in deleting the information from their servers and back-up storage. Dropbox may also retain this information to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce agreements.
Dropbox notifies users when their accounts are identified in a law enforcement request, unless prohibited by law. They publish a Transparency Report detailing the types and numbers of requests received.
If you have illegal content in your Dropbox, there is a possibility that law enforcement may obtain your IP address and account information to perform an investigation.
Law enforcement authorities can submit a legal information request by emailing [email protected] with the appropriate links.
