Legal

Protocols for Law Enforcement

Last Updated: September 28, 2026

This page describes M8tcha's process for responding to valid requests from law-enforcement and government authorities. It does not create rights beyond applicable law and does not replace an emergency request process.

Emergency Requests

If there is an imminent risk of death or serious physical injury, an authorized official should email [email protected] with “EMERGENCY REQUEST” in the subject line. Include the agency, official name and contact details, the emergency, the information requested, and why disclosure is necessary to address the threat. Contact local emergency services first where appropriate.

We evaluate emergency requests individually and may disclose information when we reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent imminent harm and permitted by law. An emergency request is not a substitute for legal process.

Non-Emergency Requests

Send subpoenas, court orders, warrants, preservation requests, and other formal legal process to [email protected]. Requests should identify the issuing authority, legal basis, case or reference number, target account or identifiers, requested data, relevant date range, and a point of contact. We review requests for validity, scope, and legal authority and may object to or narrow requests where appropriate.

Preservation and Disclosure

We may preserve records for a legally valid preservation request and for the period required by law. We disclose only information responsive to valid process or a lawful emergency request. We do not guarantee that requested data exists, is complete, or can be recovered after deletion. Account data may be encrypted, aggregated, or held by a service provider and may therefore be unavailable to us.

Data Preservation Period

Upon receiving a formal, legally valid preservation request from law enforcement, M8tcha commits to preserving the identified account records and associated data for a standard period of 90 days from the date of receipt of the request, unless a longer period is required by applicable law or a court order. If the requesting authority provides a valid extension or supplemental legal process before the initial 90-day period expires, we will continue preservation accordingly. We do not guarantee that requested data exists, is complete, or can be recovered after deletion.

Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and Child Sexual Exploitation

M8tcha maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child sexual exploitation. We proactively detect, remove, and report suspected CSAM and child sexual exploitation content to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) via the CyberTipline (report.cybertip.org) and to appropriate local law enforcement authorities in the jurisdictions where we operate, as required by applicable law (including 18 U.S.C. § 2258A). We do not wait for a user report or law enforcement request to take action on detected CSAM or child sexual exploitation; such content is reported immediately upon detection. We preserve all related records and evidence for the period required by law and cooperate fully with law enforcement investigations involving CSAM and child sexual exploitation.

User Notice

Where legally permitted, we may notify the affected user before disclosure. We may delay or withhold notice when prohibited by law, ordered by a court, or reasonably necessary to prevent harm, obstruction, or tampering with an investigation.

Data Protection and Contact

We handle government requests consistent with our Privacy Policy and applicable law. We do not accept ordinary customer support, removal, or account-recovery requests through this channel. Those requests should be sent to [email protected] with the subject “Support.”