The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986

Even before the Electronics Communications Acts of 1966, there have always been issues regarding electronic equipment because of the possible infringements on rights guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States of America. For example, wiretapping (also known as telephone tapping) was seen as a safe guard in many countries (including America). But, in order to do it, there must be possible detection of criminal or subversive activities. And even then, telephone tapping must be authorized by a court...this of course is given there is evidence available for the wiretap in the first place. That is according to theory in all developed nations which are considered democracies. Despite the good intent of law enforcement agencies, there have been cases where local authorities and even federal authorities have possible broken laws. In the famous case of Katz v. United States, this was one such case that saw an extension of the Fourth Amendment protection of unreasonable searches and seizures to protect people in a telephone booth from wiretaps without a proper warrant. Other cases include illegal wiretaps on the homes, by the F.B.I, of Civil Rights worker Medgar Evers (1925 - 1963) and Malcolm X (1925 - 1965) back during the Civil Rights era which was instructed by J. Edgar Hoover (1895 - 1972).

The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 extended wire tap restrictions from telephone calls which also included transmissions of electronic data by computer. This act was passed by United States Congress and amended to the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. It was responsible for the prevention of unauthorized governmental access to private communications electronically.

Due to technological progress in electronical equipment, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act was weakened by the USA PATRIOT Act. This was because of concerned fears of international criminals contacting sleeping cell members inside the United States of America via electronic equipment such as the internet.