Communications data
title: "Communications data" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["law-enforcement-equipment", "surveillance", "privacy-of-telecommunications"] topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_data" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
Communications data (sometimes referred to as traffic data or metadata) concerns information about communication.
Communications data is a part of a message that should be distinguished from the content of the message. It contains data on the communication's origin, destination, route, time, date, size, duration, or type of underlying service.
References
References
- "Briefing Note: Why Communications Data (Metadata) Matter". Big Brother Watch.
- [http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/EN/Treaties/Html/185.htm Convention on Cybercrime]. Artikel 1(d): "traffic data" means any computer data relating to a communication by means of a computer system, generated by a computer system that formed a part in the chain of communication, indicating the communication’s origin, destination, route, time, date, size, duration, or type of underlying service.
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