How Police in Brazil Request Data from WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook
Authorised police and government officials in Brazil can send preservation, emergency and records requests directly to Meta through its law-enforcement portals. For the content of messages, Meta says a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) request or letter rogatory may be required. Brazil has a bilateral mutual legal assistance treaty with the US in force since February 21, 2001, which is the usual channel when content is needed.
Brazil at a glance
| US mutual legal assistance treaty | In force since February 21, 2001Treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters Source |
|---|---|
| US CLOUD Act agreement | None Source |
| Budapest Convention on Cybercrime | Party (in force for it since 1 March 2023) Source |
| Requests to Meta (Jul - Dec 2025) | 33,046 total: 29,291 legal process, 3,755 emergency; some data produced in 80.03% Source |
How to make the request
- Preserve first. Send a preservation request so the account data is kept while legal process is prepared; Meta preserves records for 90 days pending formal process.
- Use the official portals with an official government email. Facebook and Instagram: Meta’s Law Enforcement Online Request System (facebook.com/records). WhatsApp: whatsapp.com/records. Step-by-step: our Facebook & Instagram and WhatsApp portal guides.
- Attach valid legal process under Brazil’s law for records requests, and identify the account precisely (username, profile URL, phone number with country code).
- Emergencies: where there is imminent harm to a child or a risk of death or serious physical injury, use the portal’s emergency request route.
- Content: Brazil has a bilateral mutual legal assistance treaty with the US in force since February 21, 2001, which is the usual channel when content is needed. When to use which channel: MLAT vs LERS vs Interpol.
Meta’s guidelines: “A Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty request or letter rogatory may be required to compel the disclosure of the contents of an account.” Source
Legal notes for Brazil
- Brazil is the second-largest requester among these 21 countries in Meta's Jul-Dec 2025 report (33,046 requests, 124,340 users/accounts). Source
Cybercrime unit in Brazil
Diretoria de Combate a Crimes Ciberneticos (DCIBER) (Policia Federal). See cybercrime agencies in Brazil.
Treaty and request figures checked against the US State Department’s Treaties in Force, the US Department of Justice, the Council of Europe treaty office and Meta’s Transparency Center on 12 October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice. Other platforms: the platform-by-platform LERS guide; every country: police data requests by country.