LINE

LINE Transparency Report

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Jan-Jun 2020
Jul-Dec 2020 Jul-Dec 2019 Jan-Jun 2019 Jul-Dec 2018 Jan-Jun 2018 Jul-Dec 2017 Jan-Jun 2017 Jul-Dec 2016

[October 18, 2021] It came to our notice that there were some errors in the compilation of figures in this report, and we have since corrected these errors. Corrections are indicated in red (previously disclosed information is in brackets).
Press release regarding this correction: https://linecorp.com/en/pr/news/en/2021/3934

User Information Disclosure/Deletion Requests From Law Enforcement

Cases User Information is Provided

Summary of January - June 2020

  • Requests

    We received 1,821(1,822) requests in total.

  • Disclosures(Handled Requests)

    We fulfilled 72% of requests.

  • Targeted Contact Information

    Data related to 1,700 pieces of contact information were disclosed.(1,702 instances of contact information disclosure)

  • Law
    Enforcement

    Requests from Japanese law enforcement accounted for 80% of requests.

  • From January to June 2020, we received 1,821(1,822) requests from law enforcement agencies all over the world. This marks an increase of 9(8)% from the previous period. Information was disclosed in 1,305(1,306) requests (a 72% disclosure rate, a decrease of 1% from the previous period).
  • For the period of January - June 2020, we've included requests for fintech services(financial services such as LINE Pay) for the first time. For details on the services included in this report, see our service list.
  • Out of the 1,305(1,306) requests in which information was disclosed, 1,156(1,157) involved the LINE app, a decrease of 12(11)% compared to the 1,307(1,304) requests fulfilled(received) the previous period. From January to March, and in June, the monthly average number of requests was 274, while in April and May the monthly average was 216(217) requests, indicating fewer requests received during this period.
  • 28% of disclosures(requests) were related to incidents involving financial harm. The main reasons for making requests varied by location. In Japan, most disclosures(requests) were related to incidents involving children (29%). In Taiwan, most disclosures(requests) were related to financial harm (27%).
  • Data related to 1,700 pieces of contact information were(Information on 1,702 accounts was) disclosed as part of the 1,305(1,306) requests that we fulfilled. This is a ratio of 1.30 pieces of contact information(accounts) per fulfilled request. This ratio is around the same level as the previous period's ratio (1.23 pieces of contact information per fulfilled request)(Each request involved 1.23 on average—not a significant change from the previous period).
  • This period marked the first time since we began compiling statistics that a request was received from Israel. We began compiling statistics in 2016 and has received requests from 17 countries and regions to date.
  • Most(The majority of) requests came from Japanese (80%) and Taiwanese (15%) law enforcement agencies. This fits with the numbers from 2016 (the first year we began compiling statistics)—87% of requests came from Japan, 10% of requests came from Taiwan.
  • For every one million monthly active users in Japan, data related to 17.1 pieces of contact information were(information on 17.1 accounts was) disclosed to law enforcement. For every one million monthly active users in Taiwan, data related to 12.0 pieces of contact information were(information on 12.2 accounts was) similarly disclosed.
  • “Investigation-Related Inquiries” in Japan saw a sharp rise, from two during the last period, to 115 during this period. A large number of these inquiries (113) were related to LINE Pay. We will only respond to ”Investigation-Related Inquiries” if there is detailed proof of money laundering, fraud, or other criminal activity(money laundering or fraud); if damages have been caused via LINE Pay; or if LINE Pay was used in a crime. We will not disclose user information if law enforcement agencies do not provide detailed evidence of a crime being committed. For details on our policy regarding responding to and disclosing information to law enforcement agencies, see Responding to Law Enforcement Agencies.

Report notes

  • This report covers information on the number of disclosure requests from law enforcement made to us and the number of cases which were actually disclosed in the relevant 6-month period.
  • The reports prior to and including Jan-Jun 2018 cover data related to the LINE app only. The reports for Jul-Dec 2018 and onward cover data related to all services that LINE Corporation provides. The reports for Jul-Jun 2020 and onward cover data related to services provided by LINE Corporation and its group companies. Check the service list below for a list of relevant services.
  • We comply with disclosure requests from Japanese law enforcement when at least one of the following legal grounds is met:
    • Warrant (Code of Criminal Procedure): A document issued by a court that permits or orders seizure, inspection or other activities.
    • Investigation-Related Inquiry (Code of Criminal Procedure): An information disclosure request from law enforcement to a business operator or other entity for aiding in an investigation.
    • Emergency (Penal Code): An emergency action taken when a human life or rights are under threat. For(In the case of) the LINE app, this means identifying a relevant user when, for example, a bomb threat or suicide threat is made.
  • “Warrants” and “Investigation-Related Inquiries” include requests received originally as “Emergencies” but fulfilled(handled) in accordance with corresponding procedures for relevant legal documents.
  • We will only cooperate with criminal investigations in accordance with strict information handling rules, and only when a thorough verification confirms the legality or overall propriety of the investigation.
  • A single request may include(contain) multiple pieces of(users’) contact information.
  • We fulfill(handle) requests from overseas in accordance with frameworks for international investigation cooperation such as ‘The Act on International Assistance in Investigation and Other Related Matters’ and mutual legal assistance treaties (MLAT) with specific countries. This includes instances where the Japanese police receive a request via the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) or Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs receives a request via an embassy. The same rules regarding warrants and verification by privacy protection organizations and other handling rules still apply.
  • "Targeted Contact Information" indicates the specific user contact information (phone number, LINE ID, etc.) that authorities identified as relevant to their investigation(suspect are involved in crime).

Services

Reports for this period include the services listed below.

  • LINE
  • LINE Official Account
  • LINE PLAY
  • LINE LIVE
  • OpenChat
  • LINE GAME
  • LINE Gift
  • Livedoor Blogs
  • LINE Out
  • LINE TICKET
  • LINE Pay (Japan only)
  • LINE POINTS
  • LINE Securities
  • LINE Pocket Money
  • BITMAX
  • LINE Prepaid Card

Services for which requests were not received were not included in the list above.

Disclosure requests

Germany Disclosure Requests
Requests 2
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 0
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 -
Emergencies (*1) 0
Targeted Contact
Information 		0
Japan Disclosure Requests
Requests 1,460(1,465)
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 1,017(1,019)
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 115
Emergencies (*1) 3
Targeted Contact
Information 		1,438(1,440)
Korea Disclosure Requests
Requests 64(59)
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 8(4)
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 -
Emergencies (*1) 0
Targeted Contact
Information 		9(5)
Singapore Disclosure Requests
Requests 2
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 0
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 -
Emergencies (*1) 0
Targeted Contact
Information 		0
United Kingdom Disclosure Requests
Requests 4
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 0
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 -
Emergencies (*1) 0
Targeted Contact
Information 		0
Sweden Disclosure Requests
Requests 2(1)
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 0
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 -
Emergencies (*1) 0
Targeted Contact
Information 		0
Taiwan Disclosure Requests
Requests 278(280)
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 162(165)
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 -
Emergencies (*1) 0
Targeted Contact
Information 		253(257)
United States of America Disclosure Requests
Requests 6
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 0
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 -
Emergencies (*1) 0
Targeted Contact
Information 		0
Thailand Disclosure Requests
Requests 1
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 0
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 -
Emergencies (*1) 0
Targeted Contact
Information 		0
Israel Disclosure Requests
Requests 1
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 0
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 -
Emergencies (*1) 0
Targeted Contact
Information 		0
Australia Disclosure Requests
Requests 1
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 0
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 -
Emergencies (*1) 0
Targeted Contact
Information 		0
Total Disclosure Requests
Requests 1,821(1,822)
Disclosures(Fulfillments) Warrants 1,187(1,188)
Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 115
Emergencies (*1) 3
Targeted Contact
Information 		1,700(1,702)
Disclosure requests
  Requests Disclosures(Fulfillments) Targeted Contact
Information
Warrants Investigation
-Related Inquiries		 Emergencies (*1)
Germany 2 0 - 0 0
Japan 1,460(1,465) 1,017(1,019) 115 3 1,438(1,440)
Korea 64(59) 8(4) - 0 9(5)
Singapore 2 0 - 0 0
United Kingdom 4 0 - 0 0
Sweden 2(1) 0 - 0 0
Taiwan 278(280) 162(165) - 0 253(257)
United States of America 6 0 - 0 0
Thailand 1 0 - 0 0
Israel 1 0 - 0 0
Australia 1 0 - 0 0
Total 1,821(1,822) 1,187(1,188) 115 3 1,700(1,702)

(*1) Includes cases where we discovered crime or self-harm threats through Timeline monitoring and notified the police based on the urgency of the matter.

The graph below breaks down the disclosed data.

  • Many disclosures related to(The majority of the requests in relation to) the LINE app involved children (including violations of municipal ordinances on youth protection, violations of dating site regulations, child prostitution, child pornography, and child abuse). To protect children from crime and provide a safe environment for our services, We carry out initiatives such as:
  • Starting in September 2020, distributing educational materials to promote financial and information literacy through the LINE MIRAI Foundation.

Deletion Requests

No effective deletion request has been received from the authorities during this period.

More details on this report
If you are an investigating authority and wish us to disclose or delete user information, please refer to this guide.

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