Wiretapping is the act of listening to electronic communications on phones, computers, and other devices. It is used by governments for law enforcement and in corporate espionage. Wiretapping laws vary worldwide, with some countries having strict privacy protections and others having little to none. Advocacy organizations exist to help civilians understand these laws and combat illegal wiretapping. Wiretapping can be performed on landline phones, cell phones, and computers, and it is difficult to protect against. Existing wiretapping laws vary widely, with legal taps obtained through a warrant not being revoked.
Wiretapping refers to listening to electronic communications on phones, computers, and other devices. Many governments use it as a law enforcement tool, and it is also used in fields such as corporate espionage to gain access to inside information. Depending on where you are in the world, wiretapping can be tightly controlled with laws designed to protect privacy rights, or it can be a widely accepted practice with little or no protections for citizens. Several advocacy organizations have been established to help civilians understand these laws in their areas and to combat illegal wiretapping.
One of the first eavesdroppers was Abraham Lincoln, who listened to telegraph conversations during the Civil War. Since then, wiretapping has become much more complex and concerned citizens have sometimes questioned the legality of this practice, especially in countries that place a high value on the right to privacy. Since the eavesdropping is covert, people are not notified that their lines are being tapped by government agencies until after the operation is complete, and while agencies must obtain warrants to approve wiretaps, they are sometimes given to very shaky grounds.
There are several ways to perform a wiretap operation, ranging from hiding electronic devices in a telephone to tapping a telecommunications line somewhere along its journey from the device to a routing or exchange center. In many countries, governments have agreements with telecommunications companies that grant easy access to communication lines for this purpose.
While many people associate wiretapping specifically with landline phones, governments can also wiretap cell phone and computer communications. It is very difficult to protect yourself from eavesdropping, since eavesdropping can be difficult to identify and trace, and while there are techniques to make it more difficult, there is no way to prevent an eavesdropping on a communications device. This is especially galling for people who want to prevent illegal wiretaps, such as those used by rival companies.
Existing wiretapping laws vary widely. Typically, people who suspect a tap on their line can report it to their telecommunications company, who can investigate the complaint. If an illegal faucet is found, the company usually removes it, but legal ones obtained through the use of a warrant will not be revoked. People concerned about communications privacy should have sensitive conversations in person if possible, or consider adopting the use of a code to transmit information.
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