Glossary of terms

Throughout this report a number of technical terms are used. To help the reader, this glossary includes a simple definition of a selection of common terms.

Stored communication is defined in subsection 5(1) of the TIA Act. It means a communication that is held on equipment that is operated by a telecommunications carrier/network. For a communication to be a stored communication, it cannot be accessed by a person who is not a party to the communication without the assistance of an employee of the operator and must not be passing over a telecommunications system.

A communication is taken to be passing over a telecommunications system from when it is sent or transmitted by the person sending the communication until when it becomes accessible to the intended recipient of that communication.

Generally, the term communication is used generically and includes a message or conversation in the form of speech, music or other sounds, data, text, visual images (animated or otherwise) or any combination of the above.

A restricted record is defined in subsection 5(1) of the TIA Act. It means a record (other than a copy) that was obtained by means of an interception, whether lawful or not, of a communication passing over a telecommunications system.

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