Spying laws are not fit for purpose and need to be overhauled, a group of MPs have said.
A report by the Home Affairs Select Committee said the laws have been used to spy on journalists, adding this was not acceptable and could stop whistleblowers from coming forward.
Police are failing to record the professions of individuals who have had data accessed under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), it said.
The comments come after it emerged police investigating the Chris Huhne speeding points scandal secretly obtained the phone records of a journalist and one of his sources for the story.
In another instance the Metropolitan Police used the Act to obtain The Sun's newsdesk telephone records and those of its political editor to try to identify who had leaked the so-called Plebgate story.
Committee chairman Keith Vaz said: "RIPA is not fit for purpose.
"Using (it) to access telephone records of journalists is wrong and this practice must cease.
"The inevitable consequence is that this deters whistleblowers from coming forward."
He went on: "The recording of information under RIPA is lamentably poor, and the whole process appears secretive and disorganised, without proper monitoring of what is being destroyed and what is being retained.
"We are concerned that the level of secrecy surrounding the use of RIPA allows investigating authorities to engage in acts which would be unacceptable in a democracy, with inadequate oversight."
The Committee has called on the Home Office to hold a consultation on an amended RIPA Code of Practice with special provisions for dealing with privileged information, such as journalistic material.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "The law hasn't kept pace with advancement in technology and it needs to be proportionate.
"Access to communications data is vital to the police and intelligence agencies in their fight against terrorism, child abuse and other serious crimes.
"But it is also important that there are strong checks and balances in place to ensure this data is not used inappropriately."
Emma Carr, director of lobby group Big Brother Watch, said: "It is now abundantly clear the law is out of date... and the recording of how the powers are used is patchy at best. The public is right to expect better."
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