May I thank those who commented on my previous post; what I was trying to say was that regardless of the rights and wrongs of unauthorised listening to ATC communications, the fact is that no law is going to prevent it so long as the equipment to do it is available to all and sundry.
I did not intend to favour either side of the argument.
What can be discouraged, probably by a successful high profile prosecution and swingeing sentence, is rebroadcasting communications that have been obtained illegally, either using a recorded audio file or the written word. But only if the miscreant can be traced.
Now, where do you stand on the proposed Data Communications Bill, aka "Snoopers' Charter"? Because that would be used in such a case to identify and prosecute a boy who, say, uploads a Mayday exchange to YouTube, regardless of protestations that the Bill is "only to monitor terrorist activities".
Sorry about the thread creep! But it is connected.