What is Surveillance?

Put simply, surveillance can include telephone tapping, eavesdropping, cameras and video recording.

According to Federal law, a person is conducting surveillance if he:

“Intentionally intercepts, endeavors to intercept, or procures any other person to intercept or endeavor to intercept, any wire, oral, or electronic communication; intentionally uses, endeavors to use, or procures any other person to use or endeavor to use any electronic, mechanical, or other device to intercept any oral communication when such device is affixed to, or otherwise transmits a signal through, a wire, cable, or other like connection used in wire communication; or such device transmits communications by radio, or interferes with the transmission of such communication”

Put simply, surveillance can include telephone tapping, eavesdropping, any form of communication interception (by phone, computer, or radio), the use of directional microphones, the use of covert listening devices (i.e. “bugs”), closed-circuit television, and miniature cameras and video recorders, all of which are used to gain information about a person with or without that person’s knowing or consent.