Source: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2010-title18/html/USCODE-2010-title18-partI-chap121.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 09:03:35+00:00

Document:
Pub. L. 107–56, title II, §§212(a)(2), (b)(2), 224, Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 285, 295, temporarily substituted “Voluntary disclosure of customer communications or records” for “Disclosure of contents” in item 2702 and “Required disclosure of customer communications or records” for “Requirements for governmental access” in item 2703.
1988—Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, §7067, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4405, which directed amendment of item 2710 by inserting “for chapter” after “Definitions” was executed by making the insertion in item 2711 to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the intervening redesignation of item 2710 as 2711 by Pub. L. 100–618, see below.
2002—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 107–296, §225(j)(2)(A), in introductory provisions, inserted “, or in furtherance of any criminal or tortious act in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States or any State” after “commercial gain”.
Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 107–296, §225(j)(2)(B), substituted “5 years” for “one year”.
Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 107–296, §225(j)(2)(C), substituted “10 years” for “two years”.
1994—Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 103–322, §330016(1)(U), substituted “under this title” for “not more than $250,000”.
Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 103–322, §330016(1)(K), substituted “under this title” for “not more than $5,000”.
2008—Subsecs. (b)(6), (c)(5). Pub. L. 110–401 substituted “section 2258A” for “section 227 of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 13032)”.
2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–177, §107(c), inserted “or (c)” after “Except as provided in subsection (b)”.
Subsec. (b)(8). Pub. L. 109–177, §107(b)(1)(A), struck out “Federal, State, or local” before “governmental entity”.
Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 109–177, §107(b)(1)(B), added par. (4) and struck out former par. (4) which read as follows: “to a governmental entity, if the provider reasonably believes that an emergency involving immediate danger of death or serious physical injury to any person justifies disclosure of the information;”.
2003—Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 108–21, §508(b)(1)(C), which directed amendment of par. (5) by striking “or” at the end, could not be executed because “or” did not appear at the end. See 2002 Amendment note below.
Subsec. (b)(6)(B). Pub. L. 108–21, §508(b)(1)(A), struck out subpar. (B) which read as follows: “if required by section 227 of the Crime Control Act of 1990; or”.
2002—Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 107–296, §225(d)(1)(A), struck out “or” at end.
Subsec. (b)(6)(A). Pub. L. 107–296, §225(d)(1)(B), inserted “or” at end.
Subsec. (b)(7). Pub. L. 107–296, §225(d)(1)(D), added par. (7).
2001—Pub. L. 107–56, §212(a)(1)(A), substituted “Voluntary disclosure of customer communications or records” for “Disclosure of contents” in section catchline.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–56, §212(a)(1)(C), substituted “Exceptions for disclosure of communications” for “Exceptions” in heading and “A provider described in subsection (a)” for “A person or entity” in introductory provisions.
1988—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 100–690 substituted “2517” for “2516”.
(2) Service shall be made under this section upon a governmental entity by delivering or mailing by registered or certified mail a copy of the papers to the person, office, or department specified in the notice which the customer has received pursuant to this chapter. For the purposes of this section, the term “delivery” has the meaning given that term in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
(3) If the court finds that the customer has complied with paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, the court shall order the governmental entity to file a sworn response, which may be filed in camera if the governmental entity includes in its response the reasons which make in camera review appropriate. If the court is unable to determine the motion or application on the basis of the parties’ initial allegations and response, the court may conduct such additional proceedings as it deems appropriate. All such proceedings shall be completed and the motion or application decided as soon as practicable after the filing of the governmental entity's response.
(g) Improper Disclosure.—Any willful disclosure of a “record”, as that term is defined in section 552a(a) of title 5, United States Code, obtained by an investigative or law enforcement officer, or a governmental entity, pursuant to section 2703 of this title, or from a device installed pursuant to section 3123 or 3125 of this title, that is not a disclosure made in the proper performance of the official functions of the officer or governmental entity making the disclosure, is a violation of this chapter. This provision shall not apply to information previously lawfully disclosed (prior to the commencement of any civil or administrative proceeding under this chapter) to the public by a Federal, State, or local governmental entity or by the plaintiff in a civil action under this chapter.
2001—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–56, §223(b)(1), inserted “, other than the United States,” after “person or entity”.
Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 107–56, §815, as amended by Pub. L. 107–273, inserted “(including a request of a governmental entity under section 2703(f) of this title)” after “or a statutory authorization”.
1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–293, §601(c)(1), substituted “other person” for “customer”.
(1) If the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or his designee in a position not lower than Deputy Assistant Director at Bureau headquarters or a Special Agent in Charge in a Bureau field office designated by the Director, certifies that otherwise there may result a danger to the national security of the United States, interference with a criminal, counterterrorism, or counterintelligence investigation, interference with diplomatic relations, or danger to the life or physical safety of any person, no wire or electronic communications service provider, or officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall disclose to any person (other than those to whom such disclosure is necessary to comply with the request or an attorney to obtain legal advice or legal assistance with respect to the request) that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has sought or obtained access to information or records under this section.
(2) The request shall notify the person or entity to whom the request is directed of the nondisclosure requirement under paragraph (1).
(3) Any recipient disclosing to those persons necessary to comply with the request or to an attorney to obtain legal advice or legal assistance with respect to the request shall inform such person of any applicable nondisclosure requirement. Any person who receives a disclosure under this subsection shall be subject to the same prohibitions on disclosure under paragraph (1).
(4) At the request of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the designee of the Director, any person making or intending to make a disclosure under this section shall identify to the Director or such designee the person to whom such disclosure will be made or to whom such disclosure was made prior to the request, except that nothing in this section shall require a person to inform the Director or such designee of the identity of an attorney to whom disclosure was made or will be made to obtain legal advice or legal assistance with respect to the request under subsection (a).
(d) Dissemination by Bureau.—The Federal Bureau of Investigation may disseminate information and records obtained under this section only as provided in guidelines approved by the Attorney General for foreign intelligence collection and foreign counterintelligence investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and, with respect to dissemination to an agency of the United States, only if such information is clearly relevant to the authorized responsibilities of such agency.
(e) Requirement That Certain Congressional Bodies Be Informed.—On a semiannual basis the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall fully inform the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, concerning all requests made under subsection (b) of this section.
(f) Libraries.—A library (as that term is defined in section 213(1) of the Library Services and Technology Act (20 U.S.C. 9122(1)), the services of which include access to the Internet, books, journals, magazines, newspapers, or other similar forms of communication in print or digitally by patrons for their use, review, examination, or circulation, is not a wire or electronic communication service provider for purposes of this section, unless the library is providing the services defined in section 2510(15) (“electronic communication service”) of this title.
2001—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–56, §505(a)(1), inserted “at Bureau headquarters or a Special Agent in Charge in a Bureau field office designated by the Director” after “Deputy Assistant Director” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–142, §2, inserted “, and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate,” after “Senate”.
(4) the term “video tape service provider” means any person, engaged in the business, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, of rental, sale, or delivery of prerecorded video cassette tapes or similar audio visual materials, or any person or other entity to whom a disclosure is made under subparagraph (D) or (E) of subsection (b)(2), but only with respect to the information contained in the disclosure.
(2) In this subsection, the terms “related criminal case” and “related investigation” mean an actual prosecution or investigation in progress at the time at which the request for the stay or any subsequent motion to lift the stay is made. In determining whether an investigation or a criminal case is related to an action commenced under this section, the court shall consider the degree of similarity between the parties, witnesses, facts, and circumstances involved in the 2 proceedings, without requiring that any one or more factors be identical.

References: §7067
 §225
 §225
 §225
 §330016
 §330016
 §107
 §107
 §107
 §508
 §508
 §225
 §225
 §225
 §212
 §212
 §223
 §815
 §601
 §505
 §2