What is the purpose of the electronic communications privacy act of 1986?

He Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the Stored Wire Electronic Communications Act are commonly referred together as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) of 1986.  The ECPA updated the Federal Wiretap Act of 1968, which addressed interception of conversations using "tapped" telephone lines, but did not apply to interception of computer and other digital and electronic communications.  Several subsequent pieces of legislation, including The USA PATRIOT Act, clarify and update the ECPA to keep pace with the evolution of new communications technologies and methods, including easing restrictions on law enforcement access to stored communications in some cases. -referenced