How we support law enforcement agencies
Law enforcement agencies use data to investigate serious crimes and tackle national security threats. Vodafone is required to assist such agencies in combatting crime and protecting victims as part of our state-granted licenses, across all countries in which we operate.
What are law enforcement agencies?
Law enforcement agencies can refer to a broad range of governmental organisations, but includes police, customs, immigration, intelligence agencies, regulatory bodies and courts. Before sharing information with any agency, Vodafone validates their credentials and legal status.
What data does Vodafone share with agencies?
Law enforcement agencies frequently seek access to data to progress their investigations. They typically make two types of requests.
How do agencies use this data?
Agencies use data (either communications or lawful interception) to investigate serious crimes and tackle national security threats. The data that Vodafone discloses can provide invaluable insights to investigators about a suspect’s movement and activities when they commit serious crimes.
When disclosed in a timely manner, it can support law enforcement to disrupt crimes such as kidnaps and armed robberies. It can also be used as valuable evidence in the prosecution of offences. Our data can be key to preventing major national incidents, saving lives and upholding rules of law.
How do we protect customers when disclosing data?
At Vodafone, we are required by law to disclose specified data to law enforcement agencies. If we do not comply, we could face severe fines or prosecution. In each country where we operate, we employ local teams of specialists and lawyers to ensure that any law enforcement assistance is both lawful and limited to only the data required for the Agencies to do their job.
We have robust procedures in place to ensure that we both meet our law enforcement assistance obligations and respect human rights. Our activities have a line of oversight to two of the Executive Committee sub-committees, and the board of Vodafone Group Plc. We continue to advocate for human rights respecting law enforcement frameworks, globally.
You can read more about our approach to these topics in our Human Rights Policy Statement and Freedom of Expression Principles.
Vodafone’s law enforcement assistance disclosures
Transparency is essential for a trusted digital society. At Vodafone we value transparency, so we disclose our work with agencies in our Transparency Report. Although domestic law sometimes inhibits our ability to do this, Vodafone remains committed to the greatest possible clarity and to ensuring that our role is transparent to all.
