California · Public Utilities Code - PUC

PUC §7903: Every agent, operator, or employee of any telegraph or telephone office, who in any way uses or appropriates any information derived by him from any private message passing through his hands, and addr

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Telecommunications employees who misuse private message information for personal profit face imprisonment under Penal Code Section 1170(h), jail time up to one year, fines up to $10,000, or combinations thereof.

Read the full statutory text
Every agent, operator, or employee of any telegraph or telephone office, who in any way uses or appropriates any information derived by him from any private message passing through his hands, and addressed to any other person, or in any other manner acquired by him by reason of his trust as such agent, operator, or employee, or trades or speculates upon any such information so obtained, or in any manner turns, or attempts to turn, the information so obtained to his own account, profit, or advantage, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.