Orbit Guidelines for law enforcement
Orbit SI is a navigation app. These guidelines explain what information Orbit has, how long it's kept, and the legal process we require before disclosing it. They're for government and law enforcement agencies; Orbit's users can read our privacy policy.
What Orbit has, and doesn't
Most of what Orbit does stays on the user's phone. Orbit's server does not keep a history of a person's drives, routes, searches or destinations, phone numbers, contacts, messages, payment information, or what they said to the assistant.
| Information | Who it exists for | Kept |
|---|---|---|
| Account: name, email, sign-in method, when created and last signed in | People who created an account | Until the account is deleted |
| Saved places | People who saved them to their account | Until removed or the account is deleted |
| Location history | Only people sharing with an Orbit Family | 30 days |
| Drive history (routes, speeds and posted limits) and arrive/leave events at family places | Only people sharing with an Orbit Family (drives only if they share them) | 30 days |
| Road reports (hazards, police, crashes) linked to the reporter | Anyone who reported | Until the report expires on the map (hours) |
| Map fixes and charger check-ins | Anyone who made them | 12 months |
| Where the person's vehicle stopped (for finding stop signs) | Drivers using Orbit | 90 days |
| Trip shares (live location sent to people they chose) | Anyone who shared a trip | 7 days after the trip |
Deleted information leaves our backups within 7 days. When an account is deleted, its information is deleted too, unless it's subject to a preservation request already received.
Legal process we require
- Basic account information (name, email, account dates): a subpoena or equivalent.
- Other records (saved places, reports, map fixes, check-ins): a court order under 18 U.S.C. § 2703(d) or a search warrant.
- Location history and anything the user created as content: a search warrant.
- Canada: a production order under the Criminal Code (ss. 487.014–487.018) or, where U.S. process is required, a request through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.
- Mexico and other countries: through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty or another process recognized by U.S. courts.
Requests must come from an official government email address, name the issuing agency and a contact, give the legal authority and case number, and identify the account by the email address on it, with the time range wanted. We review every request and may push back on requests that are overly broad, unclear or not legally valid.
Preservation requests
We honor requests to preserve records while legal process is obtained: 90 days under 18 U.S.C. § 2703(f), extendable once for another 90 days; Canadian preservation demands and orders (Criminal Code ss. 487.012–487.013) for their stated periods. We preserve a copy of the records that exist when we receive the request. Preservation doesn't disclose anything; disclosure still needs legal process. Copies are deleted when the preservation period ends.
Emergencies
If there's an emergency involving imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, we may disclose limited information without legal process (18 U.S.C. § 2702(b)(8) and (c)(4)). Email us with "EMERGENCY" in the subject, explain the emergency and why the information is needed to prevent harm, and identify the account.
Notifying our users
We tell the person before disclosing their information, unless a court order or the law forbids it, or it's an emergency. When a non-disclosure order ends, we notify them then.
How to send a request
with "Law enforcement or legal" chosen, and start the message with "EMERGENCY" if it is one. Use the same form to ask for our address for service of legal process. Accepting a request by email doesn't waive any objection or right.