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From: metro@asi.UUCP
Newsgroups: news.admin
Subject: Re: Privacy and Email - The Law Takes Notice
Message-ID: <106@asi.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-May-87 10:15:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: asi.106
Posted: Tue May 26 10:15:02 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 27-May-87 06:42:54 EDT
References: <1189@epimass.EPI.COM>
Organization: Assessment Systems, Inc., Philadelphia, PA
Lines: 44
Keywords: forwarded from comp.risks
Summary: Isn't there something missing with this discussion?

I have been following this discussion on and off for the past month.
Some thing seems to be missing with the concept of "violating" a user's
privacy.

Doesn't there first have to be some sort of contract between the user and
the computer system to provide email services for the federal laws to
apply?

I would think there must be a  distinction made between MCI's or Compuserve's
email service and our local UNIX inter-office mail system.

Even the users of USNET have no contractual rights on the network either
to access, or service.  For example:

1.  You are not guarrenteed that any mail sent by you has any chance
    what-so-ever of reaching the intended recipient (correctly addressed
    or not).

2.  You are not guarrenteed that any mail sent to you has any chance
    what-so-ever of reaching you (again correctly addressed or not).

Again, I would think there has to be some distinction made between a
contracted EMAIL service and a casual email facility.

One last example:

If I give a correctly address letter (unstamped) to an associate who
just happens to be going to where the letter is addressed, what legal
obligation does he have when he accepts the letter from me? 

1.  To not open the letter?
2.  To not lose the letter?
3.  To deliver the letter at his earliest convenience?
4.  To not forget about the letter?

I am not a lawyer, and have little experience in contracts, so please
take this mail with the correct intent -- to clarify the discussion in
my mind.


-- 
Metro T. Sauper, Jr.                              Assessment Systems, Inc.
Director, Remote Systems Development              210 South Fourth Street
(215) 592-8900                 ..!asi!metro       Philadelphia, PA 19106