To Tap or Not to Tap? That is the Ugandan Phone Question

Abstract:     
The Government of Uganda in 2007 introduced a bill in parliament pertaining to introduction of official telephone tapping through the Regulation of Interception of Communication Bill 2007. The bill has generated intense social, political, economic and legislative heat because most Ugandans are concerned that their privacy will be infringed upon in the name of national security.

Phone tapping is the act of electronically telephone intercepting conversations without the knowledge or consent of at least one of the participants. It is practiced the world over especially in the developed democracies. Sometimes it is abused for selfish motives. But wherever the citizenry gets a whiff of it, there has been public outcry. The people view it as an attempt to 'Big Brother' their privacy in the name of maintaining their security. This essay looks at the definition, history, methods and experiences and reactions in other countries and the implications for Uganda.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 8

Keywords: uganda, phone tapping, wiretapping, legislation

JEL Classification: O3, N77, Z

Accepted Paper Series