Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

Hypothetically ... if I'm standing entirely within my own house with the windows closed, and I can hear every word being spoken on the sidewalk by excited neighbours unaware of how loudly they're arguing, a) do they have any "expectation of privacy", b) am I eavesdropping^[1], and c) under Maryland law would it be legal for me to record what I'm hearing? (And would the answer to (c) change if the recording were inadvertent, because I was trying to record some music in my bedroom when they started arguing on the sidewalk?) No parabolic mics or anything fancy, just what I can hear normally from my bed.

I haven't met the new neighbours yet, but I'm already learning about their lives and relationships. *sigh* Loud people. (And yes, the conversation that inspired these questions was taking place just now, in the wee hours. (No, I wasn't in the middle of recording -- that was part of the hypothetical.))

[1] Is it reverse-eavesdropping if the speakers are under the eaves and the listener is inside?

( If a sound comes into my bedroom, can I record it? )

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"Physics isn't a religion. If it were, we'd have a much easier time raising money." -- Leon Lederman

"I think physicists are the Peter Pans of the human race. They never grow up and they keep their curiosity." -- Isidor Isaac Rabi

[Happy birthday to Breno!]

( Leon Lederman on physics and Isidor Isaac Rabi on physicists )

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