Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: "John R. Levine" Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Cordless Phone User Vows New Fight Message-ID: <2853@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 12 Jan 90 05:00:41 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: Segue Software, Cambridge MA Lines: 29 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 25, message 3 of 10 In article <2794@accuvax.nwu.edu> you write: >You may not broadcast a telephone call over the air without the >knowledge and consent of the person(s) on the phone. My recollection of the ECPA is that it specifically prescribes no penalties for disclosing a cordless phone conversation. It is not at all clear how that relates to the traditional policy that radio transmissions not intended for the public may be intercepted but not disclosed. For that matter, the question of party lines is an interesting one. Do you have a reasonable expectation of privacy on a party line? How about if you pick up the phone wishing to make a call and, e.g. inadvertently overhear business plans or something of which you could take advantage, are you allowed to do so? What a mess. Regards, John Levine, johnl@esegue.segue.boston.ma.us, {spdcc|ima|lotus}!esegue!johnl [Moderator's Note: Listening to a radio transmission is not the same as *disclosing* the contents of the transmission, and it certainly is not the same as *re-transmitting* the original transmission without the consent of the people involved. Forget cordless phones for a minute, and think 'radio transmissions' instead. PT]