electronic surveillance legality -- was Mains powered very low power transmitter

From Wikipedia,

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"Under United States federal law and most state laws there is nothing illegal about one of the parties to a telephone call recording the conversation, or giving permission for calls to be recorded or permitting their telephone line to be tapped. However, several states (i.e., California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington) require that all parties consent when one party wants to record a telephone conversation."

There is quite a bit more info to be had on this particular topic by Googling "phone tap state law" (without the quotes).

Reply to
Walter Harley
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There are two types of states where wire recording is concerned:

A ONE PARTY STATE means one party to the telephone conversation has to have knowledge and give consent before the recording can legally occur.

In a TWO PARTY STATE, all parties must have knowledge and give consent before the recording can legally occur.

"Of the 50 states, 38, as well as the District of Columbia, allow you to record a conversation to which you are a party without informing the other parties you are doing so. Federal wiretap statutes also permit one-party-consent recording of telephone conversations in most circumstances. Twelve states forbid the recording of private conversations without the consent of all parties. Those states are California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington." HANDBOOK: SURREPTITIOUS RECORDING

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The origin of the call (intrastate, interstate, international, etc) is irrelevant. The STATE laws where the recording is taking place largely determine the legality of the matter. So, as you can see, the recording of a wire conversation is legal in EVERY state provided the proper notifications are met.

Having said that, here is the list of states and the type of state they are with regard to recording wire conversations - in other words, which states allow someone to secretly record a conversation without the other person's knowledge or consent, and which states allow conversations to be recorded so long as the non-recording party is notified and gives his or her permission to be recorded:

Alabama: One Party Alaska: One party Arizona: One Party Arkansas: One Party California: Two Party Colorado: One party Connecticut: Two Party Delaware: Two Party District Of Columbia :One Party Florida: Two Party Georgia: One Party Hawaii :One Party Idaho: One Party Illinois: Two Party Indiana One Party Iowa One Party Kansas: One Party Kentucky One party Louisiana One Party Maine: One Party Massachusetts Two Party Maryland Two Party Michigan Two party Minnesota One Party Mississippi One Party Missouri: One Party Minnesota: One Party Montana: Two-party Nebraska: One Party Nevada: One Party New Hampshire Two Party New Jersey: One Party New Mexico: One Party New York: One Party North Carolina: One Party North Dakota One Party Oklahoma: One Party Oregon One Party Ohio One Party Pennsylvania Two Party Rhode Island: One Party South Carolina One Party South Dakota: One Party Tennessee One Party Texas One Party Utah One Party Vermont One Party Virginia One Party West Virginia: One Party Washington Two Party Wisconsin One Party Wyoming: One party

Reply to
blarggstar

Hello could anyone tell me what the actuall law (in the US anyway) is regarding "covert listening" i.e. a listening bug type device?

I seem to recall something about it being illegal only if both parties in the conversation are unaware that they are being recorded (but I could be totally wrong).

For instance, what if you record conversations between yourself and another person on your own telephone? Or if you plant a "bug" inside your own home to listen/record yourself and a guest? Is that illegal?

I'm sure we all have strong *opinions* about this, but could anyone tell me what the actual *law* is? Thanks a bunch! Rob

Reply to
Rob Votin

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