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Hotmail: Not Safe For Work?
silentknight writes "According to MSNBC, web-based e-mail providers such as Yahoo and Hotmail may not be a haven for your private e-mail anymore. At least not while you're at work. SpectorSoft is introducing eBlaster, which aims to "secretly forward all e-mail coming and going through such Web-based accounts to a spy's e-mail". Corporations will most likely argue that, because of sites like Internal Memos, companies need to keep a tighter grip on the information that flows in and out of their companies. But attempting to spying on private e-mail?? In the words of Homer J. Simpson: "Butt out, Buttinsky"."
Yet another example of how we owe our lives and our souls (and our personal e-mails) to The Man(tm) while working on his clock. I agree that you're at work to work, but I feel that this is intruding just a bit too much for my comfort.
/gleffler
This is patently untrue. For example, in the article, they point out that personal mail coming to you through the company's mail room is not subject to search or opening. This would be a direct violation of federal law in the US. Similarly, in many states it is illegal to monitor or record phone calls without the express permission of both parties in the call, regardless of who owns the telephone. So when you say 'However, to expect that what you do within the walls of your company is private is laughable,' not only is it not laughable, it is in many cases a matter of law. If they want to set up a camera to monitor wether you're working, that's their business, but they can't screen your mail. So it is hardly unreasonable to think that a certain modicum of privacy could be protected in web use.
My company also has as part of their acceptable IT use policy that the internet can be used for certain amounts of personal business that cannot be conducted outside of business hours. This includes personal banking, bill paying, and other such activities. If we assume that they then have the right to spy on anything we do, then they can spy on our personal finances, medical history, or whatever. By allowing us expressly in their IT policy to use the web for personal business, they've put themselves in a position where we have a demonstable expectation of privacy. Of course, this is not true in the case of every company, and even the US Mail is not private in cases of companies that deal with national security or other sensitive activities.
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