When the Fed Comes Knocking: Responding to Requests for Consumer Communication Records

by Daniel J. Langin

In this Executive Update, I will discuss what the law requires with regard to requests for phone records, search request records, and user information. I will compare circumstances in the US with circumstances abroad and suggest a few points on how to respond to these requests. The purpose of this article is not to comment on the constitutionality or morality of these requests (as many capable commentators have done), but simply to provide practical advice to businesses faced with "informal" requests from government entities for such information.

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When the Fed Comes Knocking: Responding to Requests for Consumer Communication Records1 August 2006