Query, GEN: Privacy & Email

[Dawn Sardes <Dmsardes@AOL.COM>]

Just curious,

Does anyone know if emails are afforded the same privacy protection as other,
older forms of communication?  Now, I know that email messages from accounts
provided by one's employer may be viewed at any time, and that people have
lost their jobs for using their email inappropriately.

For example, you cannot tape a person who calls you on the phone, even if
that person is threatening you or making obsene calls.  If you do, you can be
sued.

I also understand that written letters cannot be forwarded to 3rd parties
without the permission of the writer.

So, if I write an email to another person, from my home, on my own time,
using my personal AOL account, can that person then forward it to say, my
employer, or other 3rd party in a nasty attempt to get me fired or to cause
me some other problem?

Also, IMHO, the Off-topic discussion is off-topic for this list and should be
stopped, immediately  (hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-ha-ha-ho-ho-ho).

Dawn Sardes
YA Librarian
Euclid Public Library
dmsardes@aol.com

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