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Eavesdropping is the intercepting of conversations by unintended recipients. One who participates in eavesdropping (i.e. someone who secretly listens in on the conversations of others) is called an eavesdropper. The origin of the term comes from situations in which people would literally hide out in the eavesdrop of a house to listen in on private conversations.
History Eavesdropping was already prohibited by ancient Anglo-Saxon law. From the Saxon custom arose the term eavesdropping, as being one who pries into the business of others or listens to private conversations. By common law, an eavesdropper was regarded as a nuisance. The offense was punishable by fine. Though the offense of eavesdropping still exists in common law, there is no modern instance of a prosecution or indictment. Techniques
Eavesdropping in fiction Eavesdropping is something of a clichéd plot device in fiction, allowing the hero or villain to gain vital information by deliberately or accidentally overhearing a conversation. For instance, in "Letting In the Jungle" by Rudyard Kipling, Mowgli overhears the hunter Buldeo telling some men that Mowgli's adopted mother Messua is about to be executed, so Mowgli sets about rescuing her. See also | ||||||||||
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