Is the proposed enquiry necessary and proportionate?¶

Before requesting IP-related records, define the question and the realistic result.

Ask the right question¶

“Who used this IP?” is usually too broad. You may instead need to identify a subscriber connection, preserve a short-lived record, test an account-holder explanation or find the next record holder.

Necessity asks why the enquiry matters and whether a less intrusive source could answer it. Proportionality asks whether the likely benefit justifies the scope, intrusion, cost and delay.

Narrow the route¶

Limit the time window, identifiers and record types to what can answer the question. A single precisely timed connection differs from every user of a public network over several days. A VPN or cloud route may require several enquiries, while a missing port or vague time may make a match unrealistic.

Review the justification after every result. A justified first request does not automatically justify every later request.