Advanced Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Operations

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Advanced Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Operations Page 35

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  (21) “computer trespasser”—

  (A) means a person who accesses a protected computer without

  authorization and thus has no reasonable expectation of pri-

  vacy in any communication transmitted to, through, or from

  the protected computer; and

  (B) does not include a person known by the owner or operator of

  the protected computer to have an existing contractual rela-

  tionship with the owner or operator of the protected computer

  for access to all or part of the protected computer.

  § 2511. Interception and Disclosure of Wire, Oral,

  or Electronic Communications Prohibited

  (1) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter any person

  who—

  (a) intentionally intercepts, endeavors to intercept, or procures any

  other person to intercept or endeavor to intercept, any wire,

  oral, or electronic communication;

  Appendix A: Electronic Surveillance Law

  267

  (b) intentionally uses, endeavors to use, or procures any other per-

  son to use or endeavor to use any electronic, mechanical, or

  other device to intercept any oral communication when—

  (i) such device is affixed to, or otherwise transmits a signal

  through, a wire, cable, or other like connection used in

  wire communication; or

  (ii) such device transmits communications by radio, or inter-

  feres with the transmission of such communication; or

  (iii) such person knows, or has reason to know, that such device

  or any component thereof has been sent through the mail

  or transported in interstate or foreign commerce; or

  (iv) such use or endeavor to use (A) takes place on the prem-

  ises of any business or other commercial establishment

  the operations of which affect interstate or foreign com-

  merce; or (B) obtains or is for the purpose of obtaining

  information relating to the operations of any business or

  other commercial establishment the operations of which

  affect interstate or foreign commerce; or

  (v) such person acts in the District of Columbia, the

  Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or pos-

  session of the United States;

  (c) intentionally discloses, or endeavors to disclose, to any other

  person the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communica-

  tion, knowing or having reason to know that the information

  was obtained through the interception of a wire, oral, or elec-

  tronic communication in violation of this subsection;

  (d) intentionally uses, or endeavors to use, the contents of any wire,

  oral, or electronic communication, knowing or having reason

  to know that the information was obtained through the inter-

  ception of a wire, oral, or electronic communication in viola-

  tion of this subsection; or

  (e) (i) intentionally discloses, or endeavors to disclose, to any other

  person the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communi-

  cation, intercepted by means authorized by sections 2511(2)(a)

  (ii), 2511(2)(b)-(c), 2511(2)(e), 2516, and 2518 of this chapter, (ii)

  knowing or having reason to know that the information was

  obtained through the interception of such a communication in

  connection with a criminal investigation, (iii) having obtained

  or received the information in connection with a criminal inves-

  tigation, and (iv) with intent to improperly obstruct, impede, or

  interfere with a duly authorized criminal investigation, shall be

  punished as provided in subsection (4) or shall be subject to suit

  as provided in subsection (5).

  268

  Appendix A: Electronic Surveillance Law

  (2)(a) (i) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for an operator of a switchboard, or an officer, employee, or agent of a provider of wire or electronic communication service, whose

  facilities are used in the transmission of a wire or electronic

  communication, to intercept, disclose, or use that commu-

  nication in the normal course of his employment while

  engaged in any activity which is a necessary incident to the

  rendition of his service or to the protection of the rights or

  property of the provider of that service, except that a pro-

  vider of wire communication service to the public shall not

  utilize service observing or random monitoring except for

  mechanical or service quality control checks.

  (ii) Notwithstanding any other law, providers of wire or elec-

  tronic communication service, their officers, employees,

  and agents, landlords, custodians, or other persons, are

  authorized to provide information, facilities, or technical

  assistance to persons authorized by law to intercept wire,

  oral, or electronic communications or to conduct elec-

  tronic surveillance, as defined in section 101 of the Foreign

  Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, if such provider, its

  officers, employees, or agents, landlord, custodian, or other

  specified person, has been provided with—

  (A) a court order directing such assistance signed by the

  authorizing judge, or

  (B) a certification in writing by a person specified in sec-

  tion 2518 (7) of this title or the Attorney General of

  the United States that no warrant or court order is

  required by law, that all statutory requirements have

  been met, and that the specified assistance is required,

  setting forth the period of time during which the

  provision of the information, facilities, or technical

  assistance is authorized and specifying the informa-

  tion, facilities, or technical assistance required. No

  provider of wire or electronic communication ser-

  vice, officer, employee, or agent thereof, or landlord,

  custodian, or other specified person shall disclose

  the existence of any interception or surveillance or

  the device used to accomplish the interception or

  surveillance with respect to which the person has

  been furnished a court order or certification under

  this chapter, except as may otherwise be required by

  legal process and then only after prior notification to

  the Attorney General or to the principal prosecuting

  Appendix A: Electronic Surveillance Law

  269

  attorney of a State or any political subdivision of a

  State, as may be appropriate. Any such disclosure,

  shall render such person liable for the civil damages

  provided for in section 2520. No cause of action shall

  lie in any court against any provider of wire or elec-

  tronic communication service, its officers, employees,

  or agents, landlord, custodian, or other specified per-

  son for providing information, facilities, or assistance

  in accordance with the terms of a court order, statu-

  tory authorization, or certification under this chapter.

  (b) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for an offi-

  cer, employee, or agent of the Federal Communications

  Commission, in the normal course of his employment and in

  discharge of the monitoring responsibilities exercised by the

  Commission in the enforcement of chapter 5 of title 47 of the

  United S
tates Code, to intercept a wire or electronic communi-

  cation, or oral communication transmitted by radio, or to dis-

  close or use the information thereby obtained.

  (c) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for a person acting

  under color of law to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic com-

  munication, where such person is a party to the communica-

  tion or one of the parties to the communication has given prior

  consent to such interception.

  (d) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for a person not act-

  ing under color of law to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic

  communication where such person is a party to the commu-

  nication or where one of the parties to the communication has

  given prior consent to such interception unless such communi-

  cation is intercepted for the purpose of committing any crimi-

  nal or tortious act in violation of the Constitution or laws of the

  United States or of any State.

  (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title or section

  705 or 706 of the Communications Act of 1934, it shall not

  be unlawful for an officer, employee, or agent of the United

  States in the normal course of his official duty to conduct elec-

  tronic surveillance, as defined in section 101 of the Foreign

  Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, as authorized by that Act.

  (f) Nothing contained in this chapter or chapter 121 or 206 of

  this title, or section 705 of the Communications Act of 1934,

  shall be deemed to affect the acquisition by the United States

  Government of foreign intelligence information from interna-

  tional or foreign communications, or foreign intelligence activi-

  ties conducted in accordance with otherwise applicable federal

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  Appendix A: Electronic Surveillance Law

  law involving a foreign electronic communications system, uti-

  lizing a means other than electronic surveil ance as defined in

  section 101 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveil ance Act of 1978,

  and procedures in this chapter or chapter 121 and the Foreign

  Intelligence Surveil ance Act of 1978 shall be the exclusive

  means by which electronic surveil ance, as defined in section

  101 of such Act, and the interception of domestic wire, oral, and

  electronic communications may be conducted.

  (g) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter or chapter 121 of this

  title for any person—

  (i) to intercept or access an electronic communication made

  through an electronic communication system that is con-

  figured so that such electronic communication is readily

  accessible to the general public;

  (ii) to intercept any radio communication which is

  transmitted—

  (I) by any station for the use of the general public, or that

  relates to ships, aircraft, vehicles, or persons in distress;

  (II) by any governmental, law enforcement, civil

  defense, private land mobile, or public safety com-

  munications system, including police and fire,

  readily accessible to the general public;

  (III) by a station operating on an authorized frequency

  within the bands allocated to the amateur, citizens

  band, or general mobile radio services; or

  (IV) by any marine or aeronautical communications

  system;

  (iii) to engage in any conduct which—

  (I) is prohibited by section 633 of the Communications

  Act of 1934; or

  (II) is excepted from the application of section 705(a) of

  the Communications Act of 1934 by section 705(b)

  of that Act;

  (iv) to intercept any wire or electronic communication the

  transmission of which is causing harmful interference

  to any lawfully operating station or consumer electronic

  equipment, to the extent necessary to identify the source

  of such interference; or

  (v) for other users of the same frequency to intercept any

  radio communication made through a system that uti-

  lizes frequencies monitored by individuals engaged in

  the provision or the use of such system, if such commu-

  nication is not scrambled or encrypted.

  Appendix A: Electronic Surveillance Law

  271

  (h) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter—

  (i) to use a pen register or a trap and trace device (as those

  terms are defined for the purposes of chapter 206 (relating

  to pen registers and trap and trace devices) of this title); or

  (ii) for a provider of electronic communication service to

  record the fact that a wire or electronic communication

  was initiated or completed in order to protect such pro-

  vider, another provider furnishing service toward the

  completion of the wire or electronic communication, or a

  user of that service, from fraudulent, unlawful or abusive

  use of such service.

  (i) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for a person acting

  under color of law to intercept the wire or electronic commu-

  nications of a computer trespasser transmitted to, through, or

  from the protected computer, if—

  (I) the owner or operator of the protected computer autho-

  rizes the interception of the computer trespasser’s com-

  munications on the protected computer;

  (II) the person acting under color of law is lawfully engaged

  in an investigation;

  (III) the person acting under color of law has reasonable grounds

  to believe that the contents of the computer trespasser’s

  communications will be relevant to the investigation; and

  (IV) such interception does not acquire communications other

  than those transmitted to or from the computer trespasser.

  (3)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, a person

  or entity providing an electronic communication service to the

  public shall not intentionally divulge the contents of any com-

  munication (other than one to such person or entity, or an agent

  thereof) while in transmission on that service to any person or

  entity other than an addressee or intended recipient of such com-

  munication or an agent of such addressee or intended recipient.

  (b) A person or entity providing electronic communication service to

  the public may divulge the contents of any such communication—

  (i) as otherwise authorized in section 2511 (2)(a) or 2517 of

  this title;

  (ii) with the lawful consent of the originator or any addressee

  or intended recipient of such communication;

  (iii) to a person employed or authorized, or whose facilities are

  used, to forward such communication to its destination; or

  (iv) which were inadvertently obtained by the service provider

  and which appear to pertain to the commission of a crime,

  if such divulgence is made to a law enforcement agency.

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  Appendix A: Electronic Surveillance Law

  (4)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection or in subsection (5), whoever violates subsection (1) of this section shall be fined

  under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

  (b) Conduct otherwise an offense under this subsection that consists
/>   of or relates to the interception of a satellite transmission that is

  not encrypted or scrambled and that is transmitted—

  (i) to a broadcasting station for purposes of retransmission to

  the general public; or

  (ii) as an audio subcarrier intended for redistribution to facili-

  ties open to the public, but not including data transmissions

  or telephone calls, is not an offense under this subsection

  unless the conduct is for the purposes of direct or indirect

  commercial advantage or private financial gain.

  [(c) Redesignated (b)]

  (5)(a) (i) If the communication is—

  (A) a private satellite video communication that is not scrambled

  or encrypted and the conduct in violation of this chapter is

  the private viewing of that communication and is not for a

  tortious or illegal purpose or for purposes of direct or indi-

  rect commercial advantage or private commercial gain; or

  (B) a radio communication that is transmitted on frequen-

  cies allocated under subpart D of part 74 of the rules of

  the Federal Communications Commission that is not

  scrambled or encrypted and the conduct in violation of

  this chapter is not for a tortious or illegal purpose or for

  purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage or

  private commercial gain, then the person who engages

  in such conduct shall be subject to suit by the Federal

  Government in a court of competent jurisdiction.

  (ii) In an action under this subsection—

  (A) if the violation of this chapter is a first offense for the

  person under paragraph (a) of subsection (4) and such

  person has not been found liable in a civil action under

  section 2520 of this title, the Federal Government shall

  be entitled to appropriate injunctive relief; and

  (B) if the violation of this chapter is a second or subsequent

  offense under paragraph (a) of subsection (4) or such

  person has been found liable in any prior civil action

  under section 2520, the person shall be subject to a man-

  datory $500 civil fine.

 

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