phone hacking

American  

noun

1. an act or instance of gaining access to a phone's voicemail, email, text messages, etc., without authorization from the phone's owner.

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Other Word Forms

• phone hacker noun

Etymology

Origin of phone hacking

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

Last year, on the eve of another scheduled trial, Rupert Murdoch's UK tabloid publisher NGN agreed to pay him "substantial damages" for privacy breaches, including phone hacking.

From Barron's

Two UK tabloids accused of phone hacking and other "unlawful information gathering" against Prince Harry and six high-profile figures insisted Tuesday they had relied on "legitimate" sources for their stories.

From Barron's

Last year, he also settled in his court action against Rupert Murdoch's UK tabloid publisher, which agreed to pay him "substantial damages" for privacy breaches, including phone hacking.

From Barron's

He said ANL "knew they had skeletons in their closet" because the company investigated the use of phone hacking between 2003-05, finding evidence in stories that the technique had been used.

From BBC

White said: "In relation to almost every article alleged to be the product of phone hacking or phone tapping Associated is able to call a witness or witnesses to explain how the article was in fact sourced."

From BBC