Thanks fr checking ut ur law enfrcement guide. Kik takes the safety f ur users very seriusly, and we hpe this guide will be a useful tl fr yu. It includes infrmatin abut ur app; the features and functins we ffer t help keep ur users safe; and hw we can wrk with yu if yu re investigating a case that invlves a Kik user. If yu have questins that aren t answered in ur guide, yu can reach us at supprt@kik.cm.
Table f Cntents What is Kik?... 3 Kik features that help prtect user safety... 3 Kik s philsphy/apprach... 3 Cntacting Kik... 3 Finding a Kik username... 4 What infrmatin might be available?... 4 Obtaining tmbstne data frm Kik... 4 Emergency requests... 5 Matters invlving child sexual explitatin r child abuse... 5 Obtaining cntent data frm Kik... 5 Preservatin requests... 6 Obtaining data frm Kik... 6 Impersnatin reprts... 7 Appendix A Finding a Kik Username... 8 Revised January 2014 2
What is Kik? Kik Messenger is a smartphne applicatin available fr dwnlad frm the Apple itunes Stre, Ggle Play Stre, Windws Phne app stre, and the Ovi Stre (fr Symbian users). BlackBerry users (n OS versins 4.6 t 7) can dwnlad Kik frm the Kik web site. Kik Messenger prvides crss-platfrm smartphne instant messaging, which allws ur users t have text-based cnversatins with ne anther. Kik users can als use Kik Messenger t share rich media like phts, YuTube vides, and ther frms f cntent. Kik Messenger is free t dwnlad and free t use with a Wi-Fi cnnectin. It requires a smartphne (like an iphne, Andrid-based phne r ipd) with either a data plan r access t a Wi-Fi netwrk. Kik Messenger is rated 17+ in the itunes Stre and Medium Maturity in the Ggle Play stre. Kik features that help prtect user safety Unlike many ther smartphne instant messengers, which are based n a users' phne number, Kik uses usernames t identify ur users. By using usernames instead f phne numbers as the unique identifier n Kik, users' persnal infrmatin like cell phne numbers and email addresses are never shared by Kik. Only thse peple that users chse t share their username with are able t cntact them n Kik. Kik's Blck feature allws ur users t blck all cntact with anther user, withut revealing t the ther user that they've been blcked. This terminates any undesired cntact frm that persn n Kik thrugh the blcked accunt. The Ignre New Users feature allws ur users t hide messages they receive frm peple they've never talked t befre, and turn ff ntificatins fr thse messages. If a Kik user desn't want t see an inbund message frm smene they dn't knw - they dn t have t. Here s a link t the infrmatin n hw t use ur safety features: http://help.kik.cm/entries/24745228. Kik s philsphy/apprach We believe that Kik users need t feel safe and respected when they use ur services, and we need t be gd crprate citizens in prviding ur service. T be sure f this, we will fllw three principles: We will cmply with applicable law; We will prtect ur users privacy; and We will prmte user safety n Kik. Kik Interactive is lcated in Ontari, Canada, and as such is gverned by Canadian law. Cntacting Kik Our team is small, and we d everything we can t ensure that we respnd quickly t urgent inquiries frm law enfrcement. T help us d s, we direct all inbund inquiries t supprt@kik.cm. T ensure that inquiries are directed and respnded Revised January 2014 3
t prmptly, we ask that law enfrcement agencies include the wrds Law Enfrcement Inquiry in the subject line f their emails. Our mailing address is 420 Weber St Nrth, Suite I, Waterl ON N2L 4E7 CANADA. We aren t able t accept inquiries by fax. TIP: Be sure t ask yur IT team t allw emails frm ur supprt@kik.cm email address, s ur replies aren t filtered as spam. Finding a Kik username A Kik username is the nly unique identifier in ur systems, and the nly way we can identify a unique Kik accunt. Unfrtunately, infrmatin like phne numbers, first name, last name, r an email address will nt allw Kik t identify a user in ur systems. We need t be prvided with an exact Kik username t be able t find, preserve n, r release data fr a specific user. T find a Kik username, please see the instructins in Appendix A. TIP: Kik usernames never include spaces. They may include lwer and upper case letters, numbers, and/r punctuatin. What infrmatin might be available? TIP: The text f Kik cnversatins is ONLY stred n the phnes f the Kik users invlved in the cnversatin. Kik desn t see r stre chat message text in ur systems, and we dn t ever have access t this infrmatin. User Prfile: Users f Kik s nline services create their wn user prfile (username, first and last name, and email address). This infrmatin isn t verified by Kik, meaning that we dn t have any way t knw if it s accurate. IP address: We cllect IP address infrmatin (because we need it t prcess messages sent within Kik Messenger), but this infrmatin is prvided by third parties and isn t verified by Kik. Histry: In sme cases, we might have infrmatin abut hw a user has used, r is using, Kik Messenger. This transactin histry is similar t call detail recrds available frm wireless carriers. Transactin histry des nt include chat message text r phne numbers. Obtaining tmbstne data frm Kik Kik has established prcesses fr btaining tmbstne data in the case f an emergency, and fr cases f child sexual explitatin r child abuse. Available infrmatin might include first and last name, email address, IP addresses, accunt creatin date, and device type and manufacturer. Phne number (if prvided by the user) is nt stred r accessible by Kik. Revised January 2014 4
TIP: Thrugh this prcess, IP histry is nly accessible fr the last 21-30 days. IP addresses are prvided by third parties. Emergency Disclsure Requests If law enfrcement fficials believe there is an emergency invlving death, lss f security r serius physical injury t any persn, and Kik Interactive Inc. may have relevant infrmatin (see abve fr details f what infrmatin might be available), Kik has established an Emergency Disclsure Request prcess t allw fr the release f tmbstne data. Our Emergency Disclsure Request frm (alng with instructins fr cmpleting and submitting the frm crrectly) can be dwnladed frm ur website at http://kik.cm/lawenfrcement. In the event that Kik respnds t an Emergency Disclsure Request, we will ntify the relevant Kik users f this emergency request via the email address they registered with their Kik accunt. Law enfrcement fficials wh believe that ntificatin wuld jepardize an investigatin shuld infrm Kik upn submitting the request; Kik will carefully cnsider that request as part f ur emergency disclsure. We always recmmend that Kik users wh are aware f an emergency situatin shuld immediately cntact their lcal law enfrcement agency fr help. TIP: T ensure quick prcessing f an Emergency Disclsure Request, please submit the request with the subject line EMERGENCY DISCLOSURE REQUEST. Matters invlving child sexual explitatin r child abuse Fr cases f child sexual explitatin r child abuse nly, Kik has established a Law Enfrcement Request prcess t allw the release f tmbstne data (as utlined abve). Our Law Enfrcement Request frm, (alng with instructins fr cmpleting and submitting the frm crrectly) can be dwnladed frm ur website at http://kik.cm/lawenfrcement. PLEASE NOTE: If Kik Interactive Inc. has reasnable grunds t believe that Kik Messenger has been used t cmmit a child prngraphy ffence, it will file a reprt with its lcal law enfrcement agency. TIP: T ensure quick prcessing f a Law Enfrcement Request, please submit the request with the subject line URGENT LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUEST FOR DISCLOSURE. Obtaining cntent data frm Kik Kik Interactive is lcated in Ontari, Canada, s we re gverned by Canadian law. That means we ll need a valid Canadian curt rder (prductin rder) befre we re able t cnsider releasing cntent data. Revised January 2014 5
Available data might include phtgraphs, vides, and chat lgs. Phts and vides are nt accessible t the supprt team, and are autmatically deleted within a shrt perid. Kik desn t see r stre the text f cnversatins, and we dn t ever have access t this infrmatin. TIP: T ensure data isn t lst, we recmmend submitting a Preservatin Request t Kik as sn as pssible. Preservatin Requests We understand that btaining a prductin rder ccasinally takes time. If a prductin rder isn t yet available, Kik can vluntarily preserve infrmatin nce we receive a frmal preservatin request frm a law enfrcement agency. We accept preservatin requests frm any law enfrcement agency glbally. Our Preservatin Request frm (alng with instructins fr cmpleting and submitting the frm crrectly) can be dwnladed frm ur website at http://kik.cm/lawenfrcement. Cmpleted Preservatin Request Frms can be emailed t Kik at supprt@kik.cm. Please include the wrds Preservatin Request in the subject line. Once we receive yur cmpleted frm, Kik will review and acknwledge receipt f the preservatin request. If Kik receives a preservatin request with an invalid username, r a request that desn t include a Kik username, unfrtunately we wn t be able t preserve any infrmatin. Kik will ntify the law enfrcement agency, and request an updated preservatin request frm with the crrect infrmatin. Obtaining data frm Kik Kik Interactive is lcated in Ontari, Canada, and as such is gverned by Canadian law. That means we ll need a valid Canadian curt rder (prductin rder) befre we re able t cnsider releasing cntent data abut a user in cnnectin with an investigatin. Valid Canadian curt rders need t include the fllwing: The display name and username f the individual(s). Please see Appendix A fr details n finding the username. (Withut a username - the nly unique identifier n Kik Messenger- we wn t be able t find accunts t preserve data). A list f the infrmatin requested. The way in which the evidence shuld be delivered t law enfrcement. Valid Canadian curt rders can be emailed t Kik at supprt@kik.cm. Please include the wrds Prductin Order in the subject line. Requests fr infrmatin shuld be specific in nature. Overly brad requests will cause significant delays in respnding, and in sme cases will mean Kik is nt able t respnd at all. We disclse accunt recrds in accrdance with ur terms f service and applicable law. That means that agencies utside f Canada will need t submit an Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) request thrugh the prper legal authrities t allw us t disclse details abut a Kik user s accunt. If an investigatin invlves child prngraphy r child abuse, please see the sectin abve related t matters invlving child sexual explitatin r child abuse. Revised January 2014 6
Impersnatin reprts Kik users are encuraged t cntact ur supprt team if they feel they are being impersnated n Kik. Our team will investigate the reprt, and take actin as apprpriate. We may remve the prfile picture frm an accunt, and/r disable the impersnating accunt. In the event that ur team isn t able t investigate r make a determinatin abut an impersnatin reprt, we ll recmmend that the user cntact law enfrcement fr additinal help. If law enfrcement fficials receive a reprt f impersnatin r identity theft n Kik Messenger, they can submit a reprt via email t supprt@kik.cm, with the subject line Law Enfrcement Inquiry. Impersnatin reprts need t include the fllwing: The name f the law enfrcement agency; The fficer s name and badge number; The fficer s cntact infrmatin, including an email address; The Kik username f the impersnating accunt; and The Kik case number (assigned t the user wh riginally reprted the impersnatin). Kik can permanently disable the impersnating accunt nce we receive an fficial plice reprt. Revised January 2014 7
Appendix A Finding a Kik Username This appendix prvides infrmatin n hw t find a Kik username within the Kik applicatin. Infrmatin is prvided fr bth iphne/ipd/ipad and Andrid-based phnes. Please nte that Kik usernames never include spaces. They may include lwer and upper case letters, numbers, and/r punctuatin. IPHONE, IPOD TOUCH r IPAD Optin 1: Open Cnversatin Actin Open the Kik applicatin n the victim s iphne r ipd Tuch. Yu shuld see a list f phtgraphs, with display names and cnversatins beside them. Example If there is a cnversatin in the list, with the relevant user, tuch the cnversatin t pen it. Yu ll see a screen like this: Revised January 2014 8
Tuch the buttn at the tp right side f the screen (the ne with tw circles and a plus sign n it). Yu ll be taken t the Cnversatin Inf screen: The display name and username will bth be displayed. Please send bth pieces f infrmatin t Kik. Optin 2: Blck List Actin Open the Kik applicatin n the victim s iphne r ipd Tuch. Yu will see a list f phtgraphs, with display names and cnversatins beside them. It will lk like this: Example Revised January 2014 9
Tuch the little Cg up at the tp left side f the screen. It will take yu t the Settings screen: Tuch Privacy. It will pen the Privacy Settings: Revised January 2014 10
Tuch Blck List. Yu will see a list f peple wh have been blcked by the Kik user. The display name and username will bth be displayed. Please send bth pieces f infrmatin t Kik. Revised January 2014 11
ANDROID-BASED PHONES Optin 1: Open Cnversatin Actin Open the Kik applicatin n the victim s Andrid phne. Yu shuld see a list f phtgraphs, with display names and cnversatins beside them. Example If there is a cnversatin in the list, with the relevant user, tuch the cnversatin t pen it. Yu ll see a screen like this: Revised January 2014 12
Tuch the buttn at the tp right side f the screen (the ne with tw silhuettes n it). Yu ll be taken t the Cnversatin Inf screen: The display name and username will bth be displayed. Please send bth pieces f infrmatin t Kik. Optin 2: Blck List Actin Open the Kik applicatin n the victim s Andrid phne. Yu will see a list f phtgraphs, with display names and cnversatins beside them. It will lk like this: Example Revised January 2014 13
Tuch the little Cg up at the tp left side f the screen. It will take yu t the Settings screen: Tuch Privacy. It will pen the Privacy Settings: Revised January 2014 14
Tuch Blck List. Yu will see a list f peple wh have been blcked by the Kik user. The display name and username will bth be displayed. Please send bth pieces f infrmatin t Kik. Revised January 2014 15