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18 U.S.C. §§ 2701-2713 (2024 edition)
Stored Communications Act – 18 U.S.C. Chapter 121
Prepared by Shubhank Suman · Last reviewed
CURRENT / IN FORCE
- Legal character
- Statute
- Region
- North America
What it covers
Chapter 121 makes it an offence to access a facility providing electronic communication service without authorisation and obtain stored communications. It limits providers' voluntary disclosure of the contents of communications and customer records, sets the process for government to compel disclosure (warrant, court order under section 2703(d) or subpoena), provides for backup preservation and delayed notice, and gives a civil action. Section 2713 (CLOUD Act) requires providers to preserve and disclose data within their control regardless of where it is stored.
Why it matters
It is the main US law on government and private access to emails and other stored electronic communications.
Refer to it when
Use it for law-enforcement requests to US providers, disclosure of customer communications, or access to data stored abroad by US providers.
AI, privacy and cybersecurity relevance
- AI: Low
- Privacy: Very High
- Cyber: Moderate
AI
LOW RELEVANCE
No AI-specific provisions.
Privacy
VERY HIGH RELEVANCE
Protects the confidentiality of stored communications.
Cybersecurity
MODERATE RELEVANCE
Unauthorised access offence.
Applicability
Providers of electronic communication and remote computing services, and US government entities.
Current validity
CURRENT. The supplied copy is the 2024 edition of the United States Code. Read the official PDF on this page for the operative text.
Read first
Section 2711 (definitions) → 2701 → 2702 → 2703 → 2713.
Provisions / sections covered
Section 2701 – Unlawful access
Offence of unauthorised access to stored communications.
Section 2702 – Voluntary disclosure
Limits on providers disclosing contents and records.
Section 2703 – Required disclosure
Warrants, court orders and subpoenas.
Section 2707 – Civil action
Remedies for violations.
Section 2713 – Data held abroad
Preservation and disclosure regardless of location.
Subject-matter tags
- Enforcement and penalties
- Surveillance
Subject-matter tags describe what the indexed text discusses. They are not legal conclusions.
Related instruments in this library
- HIPAA: United StatesLaw · Current (amended)Same jurisdiction; assess applicability separately.
- NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0)Framework · Voluntary / non-bindingSame jurisdiction; assess applicability separately.
- Video Privacy Protection Act – 18 U.S.C. § 2710Law · CurrentSame jurisdiction; assess applicability separately.
- Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015Law · CurrentSame jurisdiction; assess applicability separately.
- Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA)Law · CurrentSame jurisdiction; assess applicability separately.
- Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978Law · Current (amended)Same jurisdiction; assess applicability separately.
Document page in the Knowledge Base - full text or PDF where it is available for this record.
This library locates primary and official sources. It does not interpret the law and it is not legal advice.