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Thread ID: 116803	2011-03-21 03:36:00	Leaving email open....	rob_on_guitar (4196)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1187977	2011-03-21 03:36:00	Just a question of legal stuff I guess: We share a communal email set up for work. Basically around 8 of us use it as a 'department' email. Someone left there personal work email open and left the work station, somebody else used it without realizing it was logged in as the individual. The person then read (as part of our job) other emails before realizing what had happened. During the brief read of one email, information was discovered that could result in 2 people either losing their jobs or definitely affecting their position. Is the person that left their email open to blame or is the person who read it the wrong? Is there any actual law etc on this? And no, none of this involves me, just water cooler talk, got me thinking what would could happen to this stuff.	rob_on_guitar (4196)
1187978	2011-03-21 03:46:00	Hmm real grey area I would guess. In my opinion both people are in the wrong but maybe the first person more so. But as I said real grey area	gary67 (56)
1187979	2011-03-21 03:46:00	Reading an email isnt a crime Rob disclosing the contents or acting on it is.	prefect (6291)
1187980	2011-03-21 04:16:00	It may be dependant on what is Company policy so read the fine print on your employment contract and any house rules you agreed to as part of the contract. And I agree with gary67.	Snorkbox (15764)
1187981	2011-03-21 05:55:00	I think this is more of an ethical or moral dilemna than a legal one. A great scenario for management groups to discuss under the agenda item of Ethics. We could throw it open for discussion in this forum, but it would need disclosure of more facts in order to reach a balanced opinion. Unfortunately, Rob has already said he's part of the e-mail group so it wouldn't take much to name names. Would be fun, but not fair to compromise Rob. Edit: As Gary said, a real grey area.	WalOne (4202)
1187982	2011-03-21 06:00:00	I think it would be a good discussion, maybe one of your guys debates, but yea, although I am directly not involved in the situation, it would be a bit weird to use it. Maybe a fictitious example could be used?	rob_on_guitar (4196)
1187983	2011-03-21 19:01:00	I think the person not logging off is at fault - more so because he/she had pretty private emails. If at your work you have to read other emails for work purposes, it's logical that if you don't log off, all your cr*p can be read. Friends of mine had a similar situation at home a few years ago. A person (let's say Person X) staying over for a week ot two before moving to Oz wanted to use their laptop to read emails. Unfortunately my friend did not completely close her own email client, and in one of her emails (incidentally to my SWMBO) mention was made of Person X thinking their house is a hotel and that they are really tired working the whole day, and then needing to run around and "slave" to Person X after work until late. Person X read thru the open email and threw a massive hissy fit - and promptly left, never to talk to them again. I thought bl**dy good riddance but that's me. sarel	sarel (2490)
1187984	2011-03-21 19:05:00	Its reasons like this that force companies to invest in better infrastructure, it cant cost much for each to have their own email address?? surely EDIT: Sarel, good yarn, nobody can see their own faults	Gobe1 (6290)
1187985	2011-03-21 19:11:00	We do have personal emails, the workstation we have is like a helpdesk type set up. The PC that was used was a communal one that is used/shared by others on various shifts. There are a lot of others PCs that could have been used, laptops even for personal use.	rob_on_guitar (4196)
1187986	2011-03-21 19:18:00	Mate of mine caught his ex having an affair when she left her gmail account open at home	gary67 (56)
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