Law Enforcement Guidelines

Guidelines for law enforcement agencies seeking to submit legal process to Ten-Seconds

Version 2026.3 — Effective March 2026

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1. Contact

Law enforcement and legal process: contact@sterlingandpierce.com
Subject line: LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUEST — [Country] — [Reference]
Languages accepted: English, French
Standard response: 5–10 business days
Emergency (imminent risk to life): 24 hours — mark subject EMERGENCY

2. Jurisdiction and Legal Framework

Ten-Seconds is published and operated by Sterling and Pierce Holding L.L.C-FZ, Meydan Free Zone, Dubai, UAE. The Publisher processes legal requests under UAE law and applicable international mutual legal assistance instruments (MLATs). The Publisher will comply with valid legal orders from UAE authorities and from foreign jurisdictions through recognised MLAT procedures.

The Publisher reserves the right to seek legal advice before responding to any request and will challenge requests that appear overbroad, lack proper legal authority, or are inconsistent with applicable human rights standards.

3. Technical Reality — What Is and Is Not Available

Message content — NOT available: Messages are end-to-end encrypted using NaCl Curve25519/XSalsa20/Poly1305. The Publisher's servers process only encrypted ciphertext. The Publisher does not hold decryption keys. This is a genuine architectural limitation, not a policy choice. The Publisher cannot provide plaintext message content under any circumstances because it does not possess it.

Message history — NOT available: No message database exists. Session content in server RAM is purged upon session termination or after a maximum of 30 minutes. The Publisher retains no logs of message content, timing, or conversation metadata beyond the session lifetime.

Data that CAN be provided in response to valid legal orders:

Username (pseudonym — may not correspond to a real identity)
Encrypted private key blob (requires the user's password to decrypt — the Publisher does not hold the password)
Public key (NaCl Curve25519)
Account creation timestamp and associated IP address
Subscription records and payment transaction references
Legal consent records (acceptance timestamps, IP addresses)
Email address, if voluntarily provided by the user
Technical server access logs, retained for up to 1 year

4. Requirements for Valid Legal Process

All requests must include:

Official letterhead of the requesting authority
Full name and contact details of the requesting officer
Specific legal basis: court order, statutory warrant, MLAT reference, or equivalent UAE instrument
Precise identification of the account(s) or data sought
Clear description of the specific information requested

The Publisher does not respond to informal requests, voluntary disclosures without legal basis, or overly broad or bulk data requests. Deficient requests will be returned for completion.

5. Emergency Disclosure — Imminent Harm

Pursuant to DSA Article 18, if the Publisher becomes aware of credible information suggesting an imminent threat to the life or physical safety of a person, it will promptly notify competent authorities without waiting for formal legal process. Emergency notifications should be marked clearly and directed to the contact above.

6. CSAM — Mandatory Reporting

Any credible indication of child sexual abuse material will be immediately reported to: the UAE Public Prosecution Authority, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and Interpol's Crimes Against Children unit. Account termination will follow immediately and without notice.

7. User Notification Policy

Where legally permissible (i.e., in the absence of a valid non-disclosure or gag order), the Publisher will notify the account holder of legal process concerning their data before or promptly after disclosure. The Publisher will challenge non-disclosure orders where legally possible and where the user's interests so require.

8. Preserved Accounts

The Publisher will preserve account data upon receipt of a valid preservation request from a competent law enforcement authority for a period of 90 days, pending formal legal process. Preservation requests do not constitute disclosure.

9. B2B Enterprise Deployments

Where the Software is accessed through a B2B enterprise licence, the enterprise client may be the Data Controller for its users' data. Law enforcement agencies should direct process to the enterprise client in the first instance. The Publisher may be a secondary addressee where it retains relevant infrastructure data.

Version 2026.3 — March 2026 — Sterling and Pierce Holding L.L.C-FZ