在現今年代，電腦及網際網路在人們的生活中扮演了極為重要的角色，不幸的是，其也成為了不法份子的犯罪工具。為了抗制越來越多的網路（電腦）犯罪，偵查實務上有了遠端電腦搜索的運用。對於這種類型的犯罪來說，遠端電腦搜索有其實際上的需要，在歐美許多國家都已經採用，歐盟理事會也採積極鼓勵的立場。由於人們對於儲存在電腦內的檔案，得主張合理隱私期待，所以遠端電腦搜索構成了搜索。此外，透過這樣的強制處分，取得目標電腦內檔案的複本，也構成了扣押。然而遠端電腦搜索，不屬於通訊監察。不過，遠端電腦搜索對於權利的侵害程度，遠大於傳統的搜索扣押，且有類似於通訊監察的地方。是故，在形成相關規範時，除了應遵循刑事訴訟法中搜索扣押的條文外，通訊保障及監察法中性質適合者，也可參考借鏡。

Internet plays a very important role in people's daily life. In order to respond cybercrimes and computer crimes which are more and more common, the government employs remote computer searches in criminal investigation. Remote computer search is necessary to the investigation because of the features of those crimes. Many countries in America and Europe have adopted remote computer search as an investigative method. In addition, the Council of the European Union encourages member states to use remote computer search to combat cybercrimes. People have reasonable expectations of privacy in the files and information stored in their computers. Therefore, the conduct of remote computer search constitutes the search within the meaning of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Moreover, copying files constitutes seizure. Remote computer search, however, is not communication surveillance. The intrusion of rights results from remote computer search is much more than from searches and seizure, and is similar with commun ication. Therefore, the regulations governing remote computer search should be in line with the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Communication Security and Surveillance Act.