Grievance Mechanism for India
This page is intended for users located in India and has been published in compliance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.
While Proton is fully committed to providing Indian users with an accessible and effective grievance mechanism, it is essential to recognise that our infrastructure and data are physically and legally located exclusively in Switzerland. As a Swiss entity, Proton remains subject to Swiss national laws, particularly regarding data sovereignty (further detailed below).
This page outlines our Grievance Officer contact details, explains what Proton can and cannot act upon as a mail and privacy service, and details the procedures through which Indian users can raise complaints, so that every concern is routed correctly, and addressed as swiftly as possible. If you are not located in India and wish to contact Proton on a legal matter, please refer to our dedicated law enforcement page.
Legal Requests related to Content Removal
For complaints about abuse of a Proton account, including spam, impersonation, fraud, child safety concerns, or any conduct that violates our Terms and Conditions, please use our report abuse form. Submitting through this form ensures your complaint reaches the correct team immediately and is handled swiftly.
Alternatively, you may write directly to our Grievance Officer at the address below. Please include the Proton account or address involved, a description of the issue, and any supporting evidence such as screenshots or message headers. Complaints submitted by email may take slightly longer to route to the relevant team.
Grievance Officer
Marc Loebekken
Email : grievance-req@proton.me
Important Legal Notice on Content Removal Requests
We receive a significant volume of content removal requests, and we want to be transparent about an important limitation that affects the majority of them:
Proton is a mail and privacy service - not a web host for third-party content.
The overwhelming majority of content removal complaints we receive involve websites, images or files that Proton has no connection to and ability to act upon. This happens in two common situations:
- A third-party website has listed a Proton email address as its DMCA or abuse contact. Proton has no relationship with that website, does not host its content, and cannot remove anything from it.
- A domain uses Proton solely for its mail service, meaning Proton handles email routing for that domain, but has no involvement in, control over, or access to the website’s content, files or servers.
In both cases, Proton is functioning purely as a mail provider. We have no technical or legal ability to remove, modify, or disable content hosted elsewhere, and we are not the correct party to whom such requests should be directed.
What Proton can do
Content removal requests are only actionnable where content is hosted on or transmitted directly through a Proton service. In those cases, please use the report abuse form above and we will investigate and act within the prescribed timelines. However, rest assured that even where content lies outside our control, we do not simply close your complaint. Our team will help you identify the actual hosting party, or, point you to the right reporting authority.
Data Requests and Swiss Law
Proton AG, the entity that holds and controls all user data, is domiciled in Switzerland and subject exclusively to Swiss law. Any request for the disclosure of user data, whether from a government agency, court, or competent authority, requires formal international judicial cooperation. Direct transmission of data to foreign authorities is strictly prohibited under Article 271 of the Swiss Criminal Code. For guidance on law enforcement and legal process requests, please refer to our page for information for law enforcement.