Legal requests

In early 2014, we received permission to publish data about the legal demands we receive from the U.S. Government pursuant to national security laws. We update this information every six months.

Requests received

We report on the number of orders received, however, receipt of an order does not mean Microsoft ultimately disclosed the information sought. We have successfully challenged requests in court, and will continue to do so, when we believe there are grounds for a challenge.

Report

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Orders

Reporting period
Orders seeking disclosure of content
Accounts impacted by orders seeking content
Orders seeking disclosure of only non-content
Accounts impacted by non-content orders
July - Dec 2011
0 - 999
11,000 - 11,999
0 - 999
0 - 999

Jan - June 2012
0 - 999
11,000 - 11,999
0 - 999
0 - 999

July - Dec 2012
0 - 999
16,000 - 16,999
0 - 999
0 - 999

Jan - June 2013
0 - 999
15,000 - 15,999
0 - 999
0 - 999

July - Dec 2013
0 - 999
18,000 - 18,999
0 - 999
0 - 999

Jan - June 2014
0 - 999
19,000 - 19,999
0 - 999
0 - 999

July - Dec 2014
0 - 999
18,000 - 18,999
0 - 999
0 - 999

Jan - June 2015
0 - 499
15,500 - 15,999
0 - 499
0 - 499

July - Dec 2015
0 - 499
17,500 - 17,999
0 - 499
0 - 499

Jan - June 2016
0 - 499
12,000 - 12,499
0 - 499
1,000 - 1,499

July - Dec 2016
0 - 499
13,000 - 13,499
0 - 499
0 - 499

Jan - June 2017
0 - 499
12,500 - 12,999
0 - 499
0 - 499

July - Dec 2017
0 - 499
12,500 - 12,999
0 - 499
0 - 499

Jan - June 2018
0 - 499
13,000 - 13,499
0 - 499
0 - 499

July - Dec 2018
0 - 499
13,500 - 13,999
0 - 499
0 - 499

Jan – June 2019
0 - 499
14,000 - 14,499
0 - 499
0 - 499

Note: The government previously permitted requests to be reported in bands of 1,000. The passage of the USA Freedom Act enabled us to report Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) requests and National Security Letters (NSLs) in narrower ranges and we are providing our recent data using the new range. The aggregate FISA data covers six month periods, but can only be published six months after the end of a reporting period.

 

National Security Letters (NSL)

Reporting period
Orders seeking disclosure of content
Accounts impacted by orders seeking content
Orders seeking disclosure of only non-content
Accounts impacted by non-content orders

July - Dec 2011
N/A
N/A
0 - 999
1,000 - 1,999

Jan - June 2012
N/A
N/A
0 - 999
1,000 - 1,999

July - Dec 2012
N/A
N/A
0 - 999
0 - 999

Jan - June 2013
N/A
N/A
0 - 999
0 - 999

July - Dec 2013
N/A
N/A
0 - 999
0 - 999

Jan - June 2014
N/A
N/A
0 - 999
0 - 999

July - Dec 2014
N/A
N/A
0 - 999
0 - 999

Jan - June 2015
N/A
N/A
0 - 999
0 - 999

July - Dec 2015
N/A
N/A
0 - 499
0 - 499

Jan - June 2016
N/A
N/A
0 - 499
0 - 499

July - Dec 2016
N/A
N/A
0 - 499
0 - 499

Jan - June 2017
N/A
N/A
0 - 499
0 - 499

July - Dec 2017
N/A
N/A
0 - 499
0 - 499

Jan - June 2018
N/A
N/A
0 - 499
0 - 499

July - Dec 2018
N/A
N/A
0 - 499
0 - 499

Jan – June 2019
N/A
N/A
0 - 499
0 - 499

Note: National Security Letters, by definition, do not seek disclosure of customer content.

Get the 2019 – H1 U.S. National Security Orders Report

Download XLSX

FAQs

The below are frequently asked questions concerning requests we receive from the U.S. Government pursuant to national security laws. Additional information and FAQs related to Microsoft policies and procedures for responding to government requests for data can be found in the Data Law blog.
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No. Microsoft adheres to the same principles for all types of government demands for user data and does so across all Microsoft services.

As a result of reforms in the USA Freedom Act, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) periodically reviews the need for non-disclosure provisions associated with previously issued National Security Letters (NSL’s). Microsoft was notified by the FBI during this report period that, following such a review, non-disclosure requirements were lifted for an NSL the company received in January 2014. The NSL sought data belonging to a customer of Microsoft consumer services. Pursuant to our transparency commitments, we have notified the customer directly, and a copy of the NSL can be viewed in the downloadable National Security letter PDF. While the content of this NSL is now public for the first time, its existence was previously included in the aggregate data contained in the Microsoft National Security Orders Report published every six months. Multiple technology companies have previously disclosed similar NSLs following USA Freedom Act reviews.