Messenger app operator Line Corp. revealed Monday that it has provided private information about its users to authorities both in and outside Japan as part of criminal investigations.
In a document titled Line Transparency Report, covering July to December last year, the company said the information provided on 1,268 registered accounts included users' phone numbers, email addresses and text chat histories.
"We believe the privacy of the users should be strictly protected, and generally, user information will not be shared with third parties without securing permission first. However, as an exception, consideration will be given to sharing such information with government agencies involved in criminal investigations," the report said.