Why We Support User Privacy

Why We Support User Privacy

Twilio is proud to stand with Microsoft in defense of user privacy. Trust and transparency are pillars of what cloud service providers like Twilio offer to our developers, customers and end users. You rightfully expect us to protect your privacy, sensitive data and personal information.

Microsoft has filed a suit in federal court to challenge the practice of government agencies issuing blanket nondisclosure orders when issuing requests for user information. These nondisclosure orders bar companies like us from notifying our users when their data is being requested and can be issued for an unlimited amount of time. Just as troubling, these orders can be issued without the requester having to provide any specific proof of the need for nondisclosure.

This is why we have filed an amicus brief in support of Microsoft’s position along with Apple, Lithium Technologies and Mozilla.

“Supporting Microsoft is about trust”, says Twilio’s Associate General Counsel Sheila Jambekar. “As a cloud communications company, our business is based on trust. Being transparent with our customers is an important part of earning and preserving their trust in Twilio.”

Our Responsibility

Simply put, except in those cases where the government has a certain need for nondisclosure, we believe that trust and transparency should prevail, and we should be able to disclose to our users when their information is being requested.

As part of our commitment to trust and transparency, Twilio issues a semi-annual report documenting the number of government requests for information received by Twilio, how Twilio responded to the requests, and how often Twilio notified our users of such requests. We’ll continue to advocate for the right to disclose to you, our users, when we receive requests for information.

You can read our brief.
You can review Twilio’s semi-annual transparency reports.
You can review Twilio’s comment on why we filed in support of Apple in the Apple v. Lynch case.