Meta can share developer account information and associated data with law enforcement or regulators when required by law or when Meta determines it is necessary for safety or fraud prevention. This information may be retained for extended periods if it is subject to a legal investigation.
This analysis describes what Meta's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision applies to developers and their associated account data, meaning that information about a developer's app usage, data practices, and platform activity may be disclosed to government authorities under circumstances Meta determines are appropriate.
Interpretive note: The 'reasonably necessary' standard for voluntary disclosure is not precisely defined and may be interpreted differently across jurisdictions, particularly under GDPR Article 48 restrictions on foreign law enforcement transfers.
The updated terms authorize Meta to retain user-submitted content if its systems flag the content for a potential policy violation, in addition to retention tied to legal compliance and contractual rights. This expands the circumstances under which content may be preserved without explicit time limits. Under the revised language, content retention decisions may now be driven by automated policy-violation flagging in addition to legal or contractual necessity. Developers integrating the Llama API should understand that flagged content may be retained indefinitely pending policy review.
View change record →Removal of this law enforcement disclosure provision reduces transparency about Meta's data sharing practices with government entities and eliminates explicit developer notice of such disclosures.
View full change record →Data associated with developer accounts and the apps they build, including user data processed through Meta integrations, may be disclosed to law enforcement under this provision. The scope of what constitutes 'reasonably necessary' disclosure is not precisely defined in the document.
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If you are located in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, you have the right to access, correct, or erase your personal data; the right to restrict or object to our processing of your personal data; the right to data portability; and, where our processing is based on your...
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"We may access, preserve, and share information with regulators, law enforcement, or others if we believe it is reasonably necessary to: detect, prevent, and address fraud and other illegal activity; protect ourselves, you, and others, including as part of investigations; and prevent death or imminent bodily harm. Information we receive about you, including financial transaction data related to purchases made with Facebook, may be accessed, processed, and retained for an extended period of time when it is the subject of a legal request or obligation, governmental investigation, or investigations of possible violations of our terms or policies.— Excerpt from Meta's Llama API Terms of Service
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision engages the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), the Stored Communications Act, and, for EU-based developers, GDPR restrictions on data transfers to third countries including law enforcement transfers under Chapter V. The EU-US Data Privacy Framework and Standard Contractual Clauses may be relevant for cross-border disclosures. Relevant authorities include the US DOJ, FBI, and international law enforcement under mutual legal assistance treaty frameworks. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The provision's use of 'reasonably necessary' as the disclosure threshold gives Meta discretionary authority to share developer account information without a formal legal order in some circumstances. This may create tension with GDPR Article 48 restrictions on transfers pursuant to foreign court or administrative authority requests. JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU/EEA developers face heightened exposure because GDPR Article 48 restricts transfers of personal data to foreign law enforcement without an adequacy decision or appropriate safeguards. Developers operating in jurisdictions with strong data localization requirements or state secrecy laws should assess the implications of this disclosure provision on their compliance posture. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Enterprise developers and organizations subject to sector-specific legal obligations such as attorney-client privilege, financial services confidentiality, or healthcare privacy should assess whether the disclosure provision creates conflicts with their own legal obligations. Procurement teams should evaluate whether this provision is compatible with the organization's own data governance policies. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Developers should include a reference to Meta's law enforcement disclosure practices in their own privacy notices and data processing documentation. Organizations subject to GDPR should assess whether Meta's disclosure practices comply with EU restrictions on transfers to foreign authorities and whether their DPA with Meta adequately addresses this scenario.
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This provision applies to developers and their associated account data, meaning that information about a developer's app usage, data practices, and platform activity may be disclosed to government authorities under circumstances Meta determines are appropriate.
Data associated with developer accounts and the apps they build, including user data processed through Meta integrations, may be disclosed to law enforcement under this provision. The scope of what constitutes 'reasonably necessary' disclosure is not precisely defined in the document.
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