What is the difference between lawful and unlawful eavesdropping?
Lawful eavesdropping is conducted under the responsibility of authorized government agencies assigned the task of law enforcement or state security. Unlawful eavesdropping occurs in support of economic or political objectives, without any legal basis. There are cases, however, where such a legal basis does exist, but that it contravenes local laws and regulations in the target country where the actual information acquisition takes place. It should be emphasized that it cannot be ruled out that (foreign) governments also engage in unlawful eavesdropping.
