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47 U.S.C. § 605 — Unauthorized publication or use of communications
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Practices prohibited** Except as authorized by chapter 119, title 18, no person receiving, assisting in receiving, transmitting, or assisting in transmitting, any interstate or foreign communication by wire or radio shall divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning thereof, except through authorized channels of transmission or reception, (1) to any person other than the addressee, his agent, or attorney, (2) to a person employed or authorized to forward such communication to its destination, (3) to proper accounting or distributing officers of the various communicating centers over which the communication may be passed, (4) to the master of a ship under whom he is serving, (5) in response to a subpena issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, or (6) on demand of other lawful authority. No person not being authorized by the sender shall intercept any radio communication and divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of such intercepted communication to any person. No person not being entitled thereto shall receive or assist in receiving any interstate or foreign communication by radio and use such communication (or any information therein contained) for his own benefit or for the benefit of another not entitled thereto. No person having received any intercepted radio communication or having become acquainted with the contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of such communication (or any part thereof) knowing that such communication was intercepted, shall divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of such communication (or any part thereof) or use such communication (or any information therein contained) for his own benefit or for the ben
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Stable record: federal_law:legal_authorities:record_usc_cca76c32edde2dc08a24f426
Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-47/section-605-unauthorized-publication-or-use-of-communications--9ff05b751b.md
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Source location: Title 47, Chapter 5, § 605; chapter-005-wire-or-radio-communication.md
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**(a) Practices prohibited** Except as authorized by chapter 119, title 18, no person receiving, assisting in receiving, transmitting, or assisting in transmitting, any interstate or foreign communication by wire or radio shall divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning thereof, except through authorized channels of transmission or reception, (1) to any person other than the addressee, his agent, or attorney, (2) to a person employed or authorized to forward such communication to its destination, (3) to proper accounting or distributing officers of the various communicating centers over which the communication may be passed, (4) to the master of a ship under whom he is serving, (5) in response to a subpena issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, or (6) on demand of other lawful authority. No person not being authorized by the sender shall intercept any radio communication and divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of such intercepted communication to any person. No person not being entitled thereto shall receive or assist in receiving any interstate or foreign communication by radio and use such communication (or any information therein contained) for his own benefit or for the benefit of another not entitled thereto. No person having received any intercepted radio communication or having become acquainted with the contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of such communication (or any part thereof) knowing that such communication was intercepted, shall divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of such communication (or any part thereof) or use such communication (or any information therein contained) for his own benefit or for the benefit of another not entitled thereto. This section shall not apply to the receiving, divulging, publishing, or utilizing the contents of any radio communication which is transmitted by any station for the use of the general public, which relates to ships, aircraft, vehicles, or persons in distress, or which is transmitted by an amateur radio station operator or by a citizens band radio operator.
**(b) Exceptions** The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to the interception or receipt by any individual, or the assisting (including the manufacture or sale) of such interception or receipt, of any satellite cable programming for private viewing if—
(1) the programming involved is not encrypted; and
(2)
(A) a marketing system is not established under which—
(i) an agent or agents have been lawfully designated for the purpose of authorizing private viewing by individuals, and
(ii) such authorization is available to the individual involved from the appropriate agent or agents; or
(B) a marketing system described in subparagraph (A) is established and the individuals receiving such programming has obtained authorization for private viewing under that system.
**(c) Scrambling of Public Broadcasting Service programming** No person shall encrypt or continue to encrypt satellite delivered programs included in the National Program Service of the Public Broadcasting Service and intended for public viewing by retransmission by television broadcast stations; except that as long as at least one unencrypted satellite transmission of any program subject to this subsection is provided, this subsection shall not prohibit additional encrypted satellite transmissions of the same program.
**(d) Definitions** For purposes of this section—
(1) the term “satellite cable programming” means video programming which is transmitted via satellite and which is primarily intended for the direct receipt by cable operators for their retransmission to cable subscribers;
(2) the term “agent”, with respect to any person, includes an employee of such person;
(3) the term “encrypt”, when used with respect to satellite cable programming, means to transmit such programming in a form whereby the aural and visual characteristics (or both) are modified or altered for the purpose of preventing the unauthorized receipt of such programming by persons without authorized equipment which is designed to eliminate the effects of such modification or alteration;
(4) the term “private viewing” means the viewing for private use in an individual’s dwelling unit by means of equipment, owned or operated by such individual, capable of receiving satellite cable programming directly from a satellite;
(5) the term “private financial gain” shall not include the gain resulting to any individual for the private use in such individual’s dwelling unit of any programming for which the individual has not obtained authorization for that use; and
(6) the term “any person aggrieved” shall include any person with proprietary rights in the intercepted communication by wire or radio, including wholesale or retail distributors of satellite cable programming, and, in the case of a violation of paragraph (4) of subsection (e), shall also include any person engaged in the lawful manufacture, distribution, or sale of equipment necessary to authorize or receive satellite cable programming.
**(e) Penalties; civil actions; remedies; attorney’s fees and costs; computation of damages; regulation by State and local authorities**
(1) Any person who willfully violates subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned for not more than 6 months, or both.
(2) Any person who violates subsection (a) willfully and for purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage or private financial gain shall be fined not more than $50,000 or imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both, for the first such conviction and shall be fined not more than $100,000 or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both, for any subsequent conviction.
(3)
(A) Any person aggrieved by any violation of subsection (a) or paragraph (4) of this subsection may bring a civil action in a United States district court or in any other court of competent jurisdiction.
(B) The court—
(i) may grant temporary and final injunctions on such terms as it may deem reasonable to prevent or restrain violations of subsection (a);
(ii) may award damages as described in subparagraph (C); and
(iii) shall direct the recovery of full costs, including awarding reasonable attorneys’ fees to an aggrieved party who prevails.
(C)
(i) Damages awarded by any court under this section shall be computed, at the election of the aggrieved party, in accordance with either of the following subclauses;
(I) the party aggrieved may recover the actual damages suffered by him as a result of the violation and any profits of the violator that are attributable to the violation which are not taken into account in computing the actual damages; in determining the violator’s profits, the party aggrieved shall be required to prove only the violator’s gross revenue, and the violator shall be required to prove his deductible expenses and the elements of profit attributable to factors other than the violation; or
(II) the party aggrieved may recover an award of statutory damages for each violation of subsection (a) involved in the action in a sum of not less than $1,000 or more than $10,000, as the court considers just, and for each violation of paragraph (4) of this subsection involved in the action an aggrieved party may recover statutory damages in a sum not less than $10,000, or more than $100,000, as the court considers just.
(ii) In any case in which the court finds that the violation was committed willfully and for purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage or private financial gain, the court in its discretion may increase the award of damages, whether actual or statutory, by an amount of not more than $100,000 for each violation of subsection (a).
(iii) In any case where the court finds that the violator was not aware and had no reason to believe that his acts constituted a violation of this section, the court in its discretion may reduce the award of damages to a sum of not less than $250.
(4) Any person who manufactures, assembles, modifies, imports, exports, sells, or distributes any electronic, mechanical, or other device or equipment, knowing or having reason to know that the device or equipment is primarily of assistance in the unauthorized decryption of satellite cable programming, or direct-to-home satellite services, or is intended for any other activity prohibited by subsection (a), shall be fined not more than $500,000 for each violation, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years for each violation, or both. For purposes of all penalties and remedies established for violations of this paragraph, the prohibited activity established herein as it applies to each such device shall be deemed a separate violation.
(5) The penalties under this subsection shall be in addition to those prescribed under any other provision of this subchapter.
(6) Nothing in this subsection shall prevent any State, or political subdivision thereof, from enacting or enforcing any laws with respect to the importation, sale, manufacture, or distribution of equipment by any person with the intent of its use to assist in the interception or receipt of radio communications prohibited by subsection (a).
**(f) Rights, obligations, and liabilities under other laws unaffected** Nothing in this section shall affect any right, obligation, or liability under title 17, any rule, regulation, or order thereunder, or any other applicable Federal, State, or local law.
**(g) Universal encryption standard** The Commission shall initiate an inquiry concerning the need for a universal encryption standard that permits decryption of satellite cable programming intended for private viewing. In conducting such inquiry, the Commission shall take into account—
(1) consumer costs and benefits of any such standard, including consumer investment in equipment in operation;
(2) incorporation of technological enhancements, including advanced television formats;
(3) whether any such standard would effectively prevent present and future unauthorized decryption of satellite cable programming;
(4) the costs and benefits of any such standard on other authorized users of encrypted satellite cable programming, including cable systems and satellite master antenna television systems;
(5) the effect of any such standard on competition in the manufacture of decryption equipment; and
(6) the impact of the time delay associated with the Commission procedures necessary for establishment of such standards.
**(h) Rulemaking for encryption standard** If the Commission finds, based on the information gathered from the inquiry required by subsection (g), that a universal encryption standard is necessary and in the public interest, the Commission shall initiate a rulemaking to establish such a standard.
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
The purposes of this subchapter are to—
(1) establish a national policy concerning cable communications;
(2) establish franchise procedures and standards which encourage the growth and development of cable systems and which assure that cable systems are responsive to the needs and interests of the local community;
(3) establish guidelines for the exercise of Federal, State, and local authority with respect to the regulation of cable systems;
(4) assure that cable communications provide and are encouraged to provide the widest possible diversity of information sources and services to the public;
(5) establish an orderly process for franchise renewal which protects cable operators against unfair denials of renewal where the operator’s past performance and proposal for future performance meet the standards established by this subchapter; and
(6) promote competition in cable communications and minimize unnecessary regulation that would impose an undue economic burden on cable systems.
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 47 U.S.C. § 521
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Secondary Transmissions by Satellite Carriers.—**
(1) **Non-network stations.—** — Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (3), (4), and (6) of this subsection and section 114(d), secondary transmissions of a performance or display of a work embodied in a primary transmission made by a non-network station shall be subject to statutory licensing under this section if the secondary transmission is made by a satellite carrier to the public for private home viewing or for viewing in a commercial establishment, with regard to secondary transmissions the satellite carrier is in compliance with the rules, regulations, or authorizations of the Federal Communications Commission governing the carriage of television broadcast station signals, and the carrier makes a direct or indirect charge for each retransmission service to each subscriber receiving the secondary transmission or to a distributor that has contracted with the carrier for direct or indirect delivery of the secondary transmission to the public for private home viewing or for viewing in a commercial establishment.
(2) **Network stations.—**
(A) *In general.—* — Subject to the provisions of subparagraph (B) of this paragraph and paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (6) of this subsection and section 114(d), secondary transmissions of a performance or display of a work embodied in a primary transmission made by a network station shall be subject to statutory licensing under this section if the secondary transmission is made by a satellite carrier to the public for private home viewing, with regard to secondary transmissions the satellite carrier is in compliance with the rules, regulations, or authorizations of the Federal Communications Commission governing the carriage of television broadcast station signals, the
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 17 U.S.C. § 119
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Except as otherwise provided in this title, as used in this title, the following terms and their variant forms mean the following:
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 17 U.S.C. § 101
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
(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; (b) intentionally uses, endeavors to use, or procures any other person 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 interferes 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 premises of any business or other commercial establishment the operations of which affect interstate or foreign commerce; 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 possession of the United States; (c) intentionally discloses, or endeavors to disclose, to any other person the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication, knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through the interception of a wire, oral, or electronic communication in violation of this subsection; (d) intentionally uses, or endeavors to use, the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication, knowing or
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2511
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
In carrying out the functions vested by this chapter in the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, or the National Institute of Justice, their determinations, findings, and conclusions shall be final and conclusive upon all applications.
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 34 U.S.C. § 10223
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Purpose** The purpose of this section is to promote the public interest, convenience, and necessity by increasing competition and diversity in the multichannel video programming market, to increase the availability of satellite cable programming and satellite broadcast programming to persons in rural and other areas not currently able to receive such programming, and to spur the development of communications technologies.
**(b) Prohibition** It shall be unlawful for a cable operator, a satellite cable programming vendor in which a cable operator has an attributable interest, or a satellite broadcast programming vendor to engage in unfair methods of competition or unfair or deceptive acts or practices, the purpose or effect of which is to hinder significantly or to prevent any multichannel video programming distributor from providing satellite cable programming or satellite broadcast programming to subscribers or consumers.
**(c) Regulations required**
(1) **Proceeding required** — Within 180 days after October 5, 1992, the Commission shall, in order to promote the public interest, convenience, and necessity by increasing competition and diversity in the multichannel video programming market and the continuing development of communications technologies, prescribe regulations to specify particular conduct that is prohibited by subsection (b).
(2) **Minimum contents of regulations** — The regulations to be promulgated under this section shall—
(A) establish effective safeguards to prevent a cable operator which has an attributable interest in a satellite cable programming vendor or a satellite broadcast programming vendor from unduly or improperly influencing the decision of such vendor to sell, or the prices, terms, and conditions of sale of, satellite cable
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 47 U.S.C. § 548
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** The Federal Communications Commission shall initiate a combined inquiry and rulemaking proceeding for the purpose of—
(1) determining the feasibility of imposing syndicated exclusivity rules with respect to the delivery of syndicated programming (as defined by the Commission) for private home viewing of secondary transmissions by satellite of broadcast station signals similar to the rules issued by the Commission with respect to syndicated exclusivity and cable television; and
(2) adopting such rules if the Commission considers the imposition of such rules to be feasible.
**(b)** In the event that the Commission adopts such rules, any willful and repeated secondary transmission made by a satellite carrier to the public of a primary transmission embodying the performance or display of a work which violates such Commission rules shall be subject to the remedies, sanctions, and penalties provided by subchapter V and [section 605 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title47-section605&num=0&edition=prelim).
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 47 U.S.C. § 612
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
### Statutory Notes
Section 85, acts Feb. 23, 1927, ch. 169, § 5, 44 Stat. 1164; Mar. 28, 1928, ch. 263, § 1, 45 Stat. 373; Mar. 4, 1929, ch. 701, § 1, 45 Stat. 1559; Dec. 18, 1929, ch. 7, § 1, 46 Stat. 50; May 19, 1932, ch. 192, 47 Stat. 160 related to powers and authority of Secretary of Commerce, appeals to Federal Radio Commission, grant of station license, and waiver affecting wave length. See sections 155, 303(l) to (p), 304, and 307 to 309 of this title.
Section 86, act Feb. 23, 1927, ch. 169, § 6, 44 Stat. 1165, related to government radio stations, regulations, control of all stations by government in national emergency and stations on vessels. See sections 305(a), (b) and 606(c) of this title.
Section 87, act Feb. 23, 1927, ch. 169, § 7, 44 Stat. 1165, related to compensation by government for use or control of stations during national emergency. See [section 606(e) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title47-section606/e&num=0&edition=prelim).
Section 88, act Feb. 23, 1927, ch. 169, § 8, 44 Stat. 1166, related to special call letters for stations and application of former [section 81 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title47-section81&num=0&edition=prelim) to foreign ships. See sections 305(c) and 306 of this title.
Section 89, acts Feb. 23, 1927, ch. 169, § 9, 44 Stat. 1166; Mar. 28, 1928, ch. 263, §§ 3, 5, 45 Stat. 373; Mar. 4, 1929, ch. 701, § 3, 45 Stat. 1559, related to grant and renewal of station licenses and period thereof. See [section 307 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title47-section307&num=0&edition=prelim).
Section 90, act Feb. 23, 1927, ch. 169, § 10, 44 Stat. 1166, related to application for station license and co
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 47 U.S.C. § 85 to 119
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) General.—** To carry out this part, the Secretary of Transportation may take actions the Secretary considers necessary, including—
(1) conduct investigations, make reports, issue subpenas, require the production of documents, take depositions, and prescribe recordkeeping and reporting requirements; and
(2) delegate to a public entity or qualified person the inspection, examination, and testing of railroad equipment, facilities, rolling stock, operations, and persons.
**(b) Entry and Inspection.—** In carrying out this part, an officer, employee, or agent of the Secretary, at reasonable times and in a reasonable way, may enter and inspect railroad equipment, facilities, rolling stock, operations, and relevant records. When requested, the officer, employee, or agent shall display proper credentials. During an inspection, the officer, employee, or agent is an employee of the United States Government under chapter 171 of title 28.
**(c) Railroad Radio Communications.—**
(1) **In general.—** — To carry out the Secretary’s responsibilities under this part and under chapter 51, the Secretary may authorize officers, employees, or agents of the Secretary to conduct, with or without making their presence known, the following activities in circumstances the Secretary finds to be reasonable:
(A) Intercepting a radio communication, with or without the consent of the sender or other receivers of the communication, but only where such communication is broadcast or transmitted over a radio frequency which is—
(i) authorized for use by one or more railroad carriers by the Federal Communications Commission; and
(ii) primarily used by such railroad carriers for communications in connection with railroad operations.
(B) Communicating the existence, contents, subs
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 49 U.S.C. § 20107
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Necessary findings** Upon an application made pursuant to [section 1804 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title50-section1804&num=0&edition=prelim), the judge shall enter an ex parte order as requested or as modified approving the electronic surveillance if he finds that—
(1) the application has been made by a Federal officer and approved by the Attorney General;
(2) on the basis of the facts submitted by the applicant there is probable cause to believe that—
(A) the target of the electronic surveillance is a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power: Provided, That no United States person may be considered a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power solely upon the basis of activities protected by the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States; and
(B) each of the facilities or places at which the electronic surveillance is directed is being used, or is about to be used, by a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power;
(3) the proposed minimization procedures meet the definition of minimization procedures under [section 1801(h) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title50-section1801/h&num=0&edition=prelim); and
(4) the application which has been filed contains all statements and certifications required by [section 1804 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title50-section1804&num=0&edition=prelim) and, if the target is a United States person, the certification or certifications are not clearly erroneous on the basis of the statement made under section 1804(a)(7)(E) 11 See References in Text note below. of this title and any other information furnished under section 1804(d) 1 of this title.
**(b) Determination of
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 50 U.S.C. § 1805
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