Is it illegal to listen to Air Traffic Control transmissions in the UK?
<p>According to <a href="https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/3264/is-it-illegal-for-joe-public-to-listen-to-atc-in-the-uk">Is it illegal for Joe Public to listen to ATC in the UK?</a> over on Aviation.SE, although aviation transmissions are broadcast publicly, in the clear, unencrypted; it is illegal to listen to them live on a scanner or such.</p>

<p>What law prohibits this? I believe it dates to WWII fears of spies. I also believe the UK is the only country with such a law. You can freely listen to <a href="http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=kjfk" rel="nofollow noreferrer">New York's JFK</a> or <a href="http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=eham" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Amsterdam Schiphol's</a> ATC without a problem.</p>

<p>Has anybody been successfully prosecuted under this law?</p>

<p>The Radiocommunications Agency (now OFCOM) issued <a href="http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/publication/ra_info/ra169r7.pdf">some guidance about this</a> in 2001.</p>

<p>The specific offence is defined by <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/12-13-14/54/section/5">s5 Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Any person who ... uses any wireless telegraphy apparatus with intent to obtain information as to the contents, sender or addressee of any message (whether sent by means of wireless telegraphy or not) of which neither the person using the apparatus nor a person on whose behalf he is acting is an intended recipient ... shall be guilty of an offence under this Act. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>It's also an offence under s5(1)(b)(ii) to <em>disclose</em> the contents of any such message, so the reception and disclosure of radio messages not sent by or addressed to you are both offences.</p>

<p>I don't know if there have been any successful prosecutions specifically for monitoring aircraft communications.  I doubt whether a hobbyist listening for his own enjoyment would attract the attention of the authorities, but if he started to publish recordings of the traffic then that might well do it.</p>

united-kingdom radio aviation