In most countries where illegal wiretapping is conducted, the unauthorized interception of mail is also reported. A majority of the countries of Africa have poor records on privacy. While 31 countries have constitutional, and another 12 have legal protections of privacy, illegal wiretapping was reported in thirty out of the 49 countries in that region. Widespread illegal searches were reported in at least 23 of the countries. Incidents of unlawful interception of the mail were reported in 13 countries.
Many countries engage in systematic surveillance against their citizens.
In some countries, the laws authorize and encourage surveillance. Most of the remainder have legal protections. Illegal wiretaps were reported or suspected in ten countries. In Brazil, they were commonly used until a scandal involving the wiretapping of a presidential aide led to a temporary ban on their use. Even as democratic reforms progressed, illegal taps continued to occur in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.