Like all companies which operate VPNs, Opera sometimes gets requests from law enforcement authorities to disclose user data in connection with an investigation. Our response to such requests is that we have no data to disclose – our VPN services are no-log services, which means they do not log or store data about users’ browsing activity. To back up our no-log policy, Opera’s VPN service has been independently audited by Deloitte, a trusted independent auditor. Learn more here.
When discussing privacy and security online, transparency and trust are paramount. This is why we have started communicating how many such requests we get, and how many of those requests result in us disclosing user data.
What kind of data requests do we get?
Requests for data usually involve questions about:
- Activity related to a specific Opera VPN IP address at a specific time
- Requests about threats to life, children’s safety, terror threats, etc.
- Requests related to cases where someone might have used Opera’s VPN to commit fraud, make very serious threats to life or safety of persons online, doxxing, or other similar behavior
Who reaches out to us with data requests?
As we are a Norwegian company, requests usually come to us through Norway’s National Criminal Investigation Service (KRIPOS). Police authorities of other countries that want to request data must direct their query to KRIPOS, which then contacts us. Opera does not reply to non-Norwegian authorities directly, except to communicate that they must contact KRIPOS.
How do we respond to requests for data?
We do not log or store user data through our VPN, so our response is that we do not have any data to share.
Data requests report – Opera Norway AS
2024-07-01 to 2024-12-31
Number of law enforcement requests: 16 to date
Number of instances where user data was disclosed: 0
2024-01-01 to 2024-06-30
Number of law enforcement requests: 18
Number of instances where user data was disclosed: 0
2023-07-01 to 2023-12-31
Number of government authority requests: 13
Number of instances where user data was disclosed: 0
2023-01-01 to 2023-06-30
Number of government authority requests: 2
Number of instances where user data was disclosed: 0