Reddit disclosed that the United States remained the largest source of legal demands for account information in the second half of 2024, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all global government and law enforcement requests.
The company revealed these details in its latest transparency report, highlighting a notable increase in both the volume and rate of disclosures compared to previous periods.
Between July and December 2024, Reddit received 1,057 non-emergency legal requests from government and law enforcement agencies around the world — a 6% increase over the prior reporting period.
Of these, 692 requests (65%) originated from U.S. entities, solidifying the United States' position as Reddit's most active data-requesting jurisdiction. Reddit responded by disclosing account data — either fully or partially — in 592 of those U.S. cases, representing an 86% compliance rate. Overall, the company provided information for 1,402 user accounts globally, marking the highest number of disclosures Reddit has ever made in a single half-year window.
The types of U.S. legal processes varied significantly, ranging from subpoenas, which can compel Reddit to disclose basic subscriber information like email addresses and IP logs, to search warrants, which can demand full access to users' posts, messages, comments, and other communications. In some cases, Reddit also received pen register/trap and trace (PRTT) orders, which permit ongoing access to metadata such as IP logs over a defined period.
Reddit, a social platform known for its pseudonymous user base and over 70 million daily active users, has long positioned itself as a defender of user privacy. The company maintains that it only responds to legally valid and narrowly tailored information requests and challenges demands it considers overly broad or procedurally deficient. A specialized team within Reddit is tasked with reviewing each request, and the company emphasizes that it attempts to notify users when their data is subject to legal scrutiny — unless barred by law or when doing so would be counterproductive.
However, legal constraints frequently restrict Reddit's ability to provide advance user notice. In the second half of 2024, the social media platform was able to notify 415 users about government and law enforcement requests, often only after legally imposed non-disclosure periods expired. In multiple instances, Reddit pushed back on overly broad or indefinite non-disclosure orders, successfully securing the right to inform affected users after legal challenges.
Federal agencies in California, Virginia, and the District of Columbia were the most frequent sources of U.S. federal legal requests, while Florida, Texas, and Georgia led at the state and local levels. Additionally, Reddit received two requests under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), indicating that some U.S. requests may have originated from foreign partners seeking data via U.S. legal channels.
While Reddit did not receive any requests under the U.S. CLOUD Act during this period, it did identify and reject 11 fraudulent non-emergency requests and nine fake emergency disclosures, a persistent challenge for tech firms amid rising digital impersonation threats.
Reddit's latest transparency report is a reminder of the importance of understanding how data shared on social media platforms can be subject to legal scrutiny — even under pseudonymous accounts. To mitigate risks, users should minimize the exposure of personally identifiable information, regularly review privacy settings, and get informed about platforms' data retention policies.
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