The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA) is a United States federal law enacted to extend government restrictions on wire taps from telephone calls to include transmissions of electronic data by computer. It also added new provisions prohibiting access to stored electronic communications, outlining privacy rights for electronic communications.
ECPA was created in response to the growing use of computers and digital communications technologies in the 1980s. It was intended to expand and revise federal wiretapping and electronic eavesdropping provisions. The act is often discussed in three parts: the Wiretap Act, the Stored Communications Act, and the Pen Register Act. The Act provides key protections for users by requiring government and law enforcement to follow defined procedures to access electronic communications, while also setting standards for how businesses should handle and protect consumer data.
The ECPA has been amended several times since its enactment to address technological advances and emerging privacy issues. Despite these updates, many argue that the ECPA still lacks clear protections for modern digital and electronic communications, leading to ongoing legislative proposals for reform.
