Should private investigation be illegal?

Affable

Well, internationally it may be ethical for governments to use surveillance. But should private investigation really be legal?

I think it's gross. What can I do to protest?

Rhonda9000

Affable wrote: »

Well, internationally it may be ethical for governments to use surveillance. But should private investigation really be legal?

I think it's gross. What can I do to protest?

You would have to elaborate instead of just throwing it out there.

Private investigators are everyday citizens that are expected to behave lawfully like the rest of us.
Turning private investigation into a criminal offence would capture everyone from nosey parkers to journalists.

Affable

Rhonda9000 wrote: »

You would have to elaborate instead of just throwing it out there.

Private investigators are everyday citizens that are expected to behave lawfully like the rest of us.
Turning private investigation into a criminal offence would capture everyone from nosey parkers to journalists.

http://www.ukprivateinvestigators.com/surveillance.htm

http://www.ukprivateinvestigators.com/computer.htm

Think the above should be authorised?

seamus

Yep, I don't see any problem with it. Provided that the investigators act within the law, I don't see the problem.

Our man in Havana

All manner of criminal offences in those 2 links.

STBR

Well I know a PI who does his work mainly for insurance companies.

I think that should be allowed, seeing as how if people claim fraudulantley it's not fair and can drive your prices up.

Affable

Bond-007 wrote: »

All manner of criminal offences in those 2 links.

Are you being sarcastic?

Boston

Absolutely. I see no actions there which in and off themselves should be illegal. If someone breaks into your home to access your computer, thats crime, if someone steals your phone to bug it thats also a crime. There are laws to protect you privacy, I don't see why there should be ones to protect your passwords.

Affable

I mean to say, private investigation as described there. Perhaps someone could give examples or elaborate on the two links I posted and what they are actually authorising.

ronkmonster

Bond-007 wrote: »

All manner of criminal offences in those 2 links.

depends on the context in which those operations were done.

if an employee deleted all the company emails then it would be ok to recover them.

it wouldn't be ok for a girlfriend/wife to recover a partners deleted emails.


same goes for few of the other things on the list.


EDIT

We use state of the art LIVE GPS Tracking Equipment, which will tell you exactly where your partner has been over any given period of time, anywhere in the world. We can also conduct mobile phone forensics, providing you with details of deleted texts sent and received, calls made, and address book entries.

from the surveillance page, all completely inappropriate.

seamus

Affable wrote: »

I mean to say, private investigation as described there. Perhaps someone could give examples or elaborate on the two links I posted and what they are actually authorising.

They word it very cleverly. Particularly in terms of data retrieval from PC and phones, they imply that the items are presented to the company - that is, a husband brings in his wife's laptop and asks them to retrieve any deleted data. That in itself isn't illegal because the equipment belongs to the husband.
Undertones of espionage are there though - which is illegal.

Our man in Havana

Well attaching GPS trackers to vehicles would be against the law if you don't own the vehicle. Same for planting spyware on a computer you do not own.

Sadly some unscrupulous PIs break the law everyday in their activities. They should be regulated in what they can and cannot do.

seamus

We use state of the art LIVE GPS Tracking Equipment, which will tell you exactly where your partner has been over any given period of time, anywhere in the world. We can also conduct mobile phone forensics, providing you with details of deleted texts sent and received, calls made, and address book entries.

from the surveillance page, all completely inappropriate.

You can get around it though to a certain extent if it's an investigation into a spouse in particular. Even in the case of tracking a non-spouse partner, the GPS device could be hidden by an item of clothing which is "left" in the partner's car by "accident", thus avoiding any implication of having interfered with the vehicle.

Trojan911

Bond-007 wrote: »

Sadly some unscrupulous PIs break the law everyday in their activities. They should be regulated in what they can and cannot do.

They are regulated to a degree in such they have to be licenced by the Private Security Authority (PSA). They would undergo a course to complete this. I don't know the ins & outs of the course but it costs €180 for the licence.

But you are correct, a right sized brown envelope would buy you information from a corrupt source.

As for it becoming illegal, no I wouldn't agree there. They are used for the investigation of fraudulent claims, infidelity etc. That is a nessessity.

ronkmonster

and what if the person wasn't cheating and caught the PI. would he have a claim against the PI or his OH for breach of privacy laws?

i don't think infidelity is reason enough for ignoring privacy laws. if you think there are cheating, follow them yourself.

seamus

ronkmonster wrote: »

and what if the person wasn't cheating and caught the PI. would he have a claim against the PI or his OH for breach of privacy laws?

Only if such laws were broken. Hiring a PI or following someone in public does not constitute a breach of privacy.

Affable

Well we are in a democracy. So how can I have my say on formation of and revision of laws? Do government petitions make jack**** difference? Or would I be best pursuing other avenues to make a difference?

Affable

seamus wrote: »

They word it very cleverly. Particularly in terms of data retrieval from PC and phones, they imply that the items are presented to the company - that is, a husband brings in his wife's laptop and asks them to retrieve any deleted data. That in itself isn't illegal because the equipment belongs to the husband.
Undertones of espionage are there though - which is illegal.

It just seems like this is a problem with capitalism. Is there enough ethical monitering of firms that start up?

ronkmonster

seamus wrote: »

Only if such laws were broken. Hiring a PI or following someone in public does not constitute a breach of privacy.

what about photography in a hotel or house? they aren't public places and i'd say partners would want some photographic evidence

Boston

ronkmonster wrote: »

what about photography in a hotel or house? they aren't public places and i'd say partners would want some photographic evidence

Photographs of someone entering or leaving a hotel are not private, nor are photos of someone in the areas open to all guests. You can give a PI permission to install cameras in your home if you like.

mega man

P.I.'s should be completely illegal. No one citizen should be allowed to investigate peoples private lives unless they are members of an Garda Siochana.
I personal believe P.I.'s are scum of the earth.

Affable

mega man wrote: »

P.I.'s should be completely illegal. No one citizen should be allowed to investigate peoples private lives unless they are members of an Garda Siochana.
I personal believe P.I.'s are scum of the earth.

Power corrupts them IMO. They may not start that way.

mega man

would you like someone investigating your personal life? some shmuck who can come off the streets and bug your telephone and take personal photographs of you? Do people like that think theyre above the law?
These people are scum.
The only ones who should be allowed do this are Guards who have gone through the right recruitment process and background checks.
P.I.'s are no different from perverts.

Affable

mega man wrote: »

would you like someone investigating your personal life? some shmuck who can come off the streets and bug your telephone and take personal photographs of you? Do people like that think theyre above the law?
These people are scum.
The only ones who should be allowed do this are Guards who have gone through the right recruitment process and background checks.
P.I.'s are no different from perverts.

Trouble is government controls too much of the wrong things and not enough of the right things. They should be clamping down on unethical business, ro someone should. They are clamping down on our own liberties but not on those of businesses enough. They are clamping down on anyone who disagress with them but not on any independent big business.

Victor

But running a detailed google search on someone would then be criminalised.

Boston

mega man wrote: »

would you like someone investigating your personal life? some shmuck who can come off the streets and bug your telephone and take personal photographs of you? Do people like that think theyre above the law?
These people are scum.
The only ones who should be allowed do this are Guards who have gone through the right recruitment process and background checks.
P.I.'s are no different from perverts.

You can't wire-tap someone's phone without a court order. Do you not realise you're asking for something to be made illegal which is already illegal?

Trojan911

mega man wrote:

P.I.'s are no different from perverts.

I know some ex Gardai/Police Officers who are Private Investigators, does that make them perverts?

Or does it mean they are utilising their knowledge & experience from their serving days and putting them to good use?