Xref: utzoo comp.admin.policy:85 comp.unix.admin:1962 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!cactus.org!statham From: statham@cactus.org (Perry L. Statham) Newsgroups: comp.admin.policy,comp.unix.admin Subject: Re: E-mail Privacy Message-ID: <7129@cactus.org> Date: 24 May 91 16:11:53 GMT References: <15110@ccncsu.ColoState.EDU> Reply-To: statham@cactus.org (Perry L. Statham) Organization: The Capital Area Central Texas Unix Society Lines: 30 In article <15110@ccncsu.ColoState.EDU> conca@handel.cs.colostate.edu (michael vincen conca) writes: >Now for the tough questions. > Is this legal? Is this ethical? If this person still worked >here, I would immediately refuse. But since they don't, do they still >have any rights to their E-mail? Right now, I am leaning towards refusing >because I think a person's E-mail is theirs, regardless of their status >with the organization. Anyone have any other opinions on this? You're right. It is a tough question. It seems to come down to two parts though - does whoever owns the hardware have a right to read another another persons mail reqardless if that person still has access to the mail. Let me phrase my opinion by phrasing the question another way. Suppose you go accross the hall, tell your boss Joe that you want to write a letter to your sweetheart during your lunch hour, and you need to borrow a piece of paper, a stamp, an envelope and a pen from Joe Boss. With these items you go back to your office and write the letter. Now, Joe Boss gets mad at you for some reason or another and fires you before you have a chance to mail the letter (you accidently leave it on your desk). DOES JOE BOSS HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPEN AND READ THE MAIL EVEN THOUGH IT HE LITTERALLY OWNS EVERYTHING IT WAS WRITEN ON-BY-IN. Absolutly not. The mail should be returned to you. If you would like to let Joe read it then (or even have a copy of it), then it is YOUR DECISION - NOT YOUR EX-BOSS'S. Perry Lee Statham Can statham@cactus.org You (512) 335-3881 Grok (512) 467-1396 It?