Theft can take many forms and is used during negotiations to undermine or neutralize a counterpart 's position , phone lines are tapped , faxes intercepted , conversations eavesdropped on , and files rifled .
But that future took a detour following revelations that -- while murdoch was head of news corp. europe and asia -- the group 's british sunday tabloid eavesdropped illegally on politicians , celebrities , veterans , and a young murder victim .
