The Email Privacy Act updates federal privacy laws governing how law enforcement and government agencies access emails and other electronic communications stored by service providers like Gmail, Outlook, and cloud storage companies. The bill requires the government to obtain a warrant from a court before accessing the contents of stored emails, eliminating a current exception that allows some stored communications older than 180 days to be accessed with just a subpoena. It also clarifies that service providers can notify customers when their communications have been requested by authorities, except in cases where law enforcement obtains a delay-of-notice order. The legislation affects email and cloud service providers, law enforcement agencies, and all Americans who use these services, and it includes exceptions allowing access to communications involving company employees in their work capacity and publicly available marketing communications.
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