“Like other communications companies, we are served with legal process (subpoenas, court orders, search warrants) compelling the disclosure of customer information and business records,” it said. “We believe helping our customers understand how often information about our customers is being requested is important.”
Out of the total requests, 82% were subpoenas. Another 12% were the result of court orders, followed by 4% being search warrants, 2% being emergency requests, and 0.3% being for pen register, trap and trace orders and wiretap orders.
A majority (77%) of the requests were for basic subscriber information and “transactional” data, which Time Warner provided. In 20% of the cases it did not release the requested information. And in only 3% did it return “content” information, which would detail actual communications or other relevant behavioral information.
As with every company, Time Warner is not permitted to disclose the exact number of National Security Orders that were issued to it, only an aggregate range as permitted by the US government's Notice of Declassification policy. Total NSOs in 2013 fell somewhere in between 0 and 249.
"We will issue future transparency reports on a semi-annual basis. We have also provided answers to frequently asked questions related to the practices we follow to strengthen protections for the privacy of customer information," Time Warner said.