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

Several years later, investigative reporter Nick Davies published an article on phone hacking, which is the illegal accessing of voicemails.

From BBC

At this point in 2007 newspaper reporter Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire had been convicted of phone hacking, and although their newspapers said they were just rogue operators, Nick was convinced the problem went deeper.

From BBC

A spokesperson for ANL has previously said it had "denied under oath that its journalists had commissioned or obtained information derived from phone hacking, phone tapping, bugging, computer or email hacking or burglary to order".

From BBC

Davies published several stories about phone hacking throughout the scandal, but public outrage reached a new level when it came to light that murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's voicemails were among those which had been hacked, giving her parents false hope that she was still alive.

From BBC

Writer Jack Thorne has praised the "remarkable" journalists who exposed the use of phone hacking in some parts of the media, ahead of a new TV series about the scandal.

From BBC