The integrity of traffic data and subscriber’s information shall be kept, retained, and preserved by a service provider for a minimum period of six (6) months from the date of the transaction. On the other hand, content data shall be preserved for six (6) months from the date of receipt of the order from law enforcement authorities requiring its preservation. These are provided in Section 13 of Republic Act No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The order to preserve the computer data may go beyond the 6-month period in the following instances:
- (a) Law enforcement authorities may order a one-time extension for another six (6) months.
- Once computer data that is preserved, transmitted or stored by a service provider is used as evidence in a case, the receipt by the service provider of a copy of the transmittal document to the Office of the Prosecutor shall be deemed a notification to preserve the computer data until the final termination of the case and/or as ordered by the court, as the case maybe.
The service provider ordered to preserve computer data shall keep the order and its compliance therewith confidential.
The obligation to preserve traffic data, subscriber’s information, and content data does not equate to an obligation to disclose the data. A warrant must be secured to authorize the disclosure of the computer data. This is called a Warrant to Disclose Computer Data (WDCD).
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