Any email that you send from your work place computer is the property of your employer.

[Yavin4]

Last edited Sat Aug 17, 2013, 10:30 PM - Edit history (1)

Also, your browsing history as well. You are not allowed to assert privacy rights over any email that you send through your workplace PCs.

Also, if your company allows you to use your personal devices, IPads, IPhones, BBs, etc. for work, then all data stored on those devices can be subjected to collection in a govt. investigation or litigation.

I know. I do this for a living, and no I do not work for the govt. I work for law firms, and we collect data from our clients.

--On Edit--

In Europe, this is not true. In France, all data on an employee's computer is considered the personal property of that employee and cannot be collected or search without that employee's permission.

[leveymg]

1. It's in the employee manual and Day One HR briefing at most companies. So?

What's the point you're making?

[Yavin4]

2. Trying to educate people

Why are you so defensive?

[leveymg]

5. Sorry. I thought this was linked to some larger subject. It's not?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. And why all this needs to be well known

I use my personal device at home as a freelancer... but worry about that at times.

[Yavin4]

4. If you freelance for a company involved in a litigation or being investigated by a govt agency...

then the data on your personal devices and your emails, even if it's a Gmail account, will be collected.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Thanks... you can't win

[leveymg]

7. Generally, the subpoena will require production of the email, not all the data on the employee's own

device, unless the employee is accused of being an accessory in a crime committed with the employer. In which case, nobody should be too surprised if the Feds haul all your computers away.

[Yavin4]

11. If that employee can use their personal device in the normal course of business

It's discoverable. The data on that device will be collected and searched for key phrases. Then the documents with those terms will be reviewed by attorneys, and then produced.

[leveymg]

16. That is correct. But, if it's just work-related email, discovery is limited to the account

and the related work messages received or sent.

You're essentially right. Thanks.

[mstinamotorcity2]

8. True

Kwame Kilpatrick hate that shit. Every electronic device he had that was issued and paid for with the city credit card, was property of the city of Detroit. Which entitles Detroiters to knowledge of most of the things that happen under the freedom of information act. Nolan Finley was laying in wait. Couldn't stand Kwame, we saw it coming.

[MFrohike]

9. The truly shocking part

The sheer volume of people who should know better and yet continue to carry out their personal affairs while at work. It's an identity thief's wet dream.

[ileus]

10. Not only that but the hospital archives all my email.

[liberalhistorian]

12. As strong and staunch an advocate as I am

for privacy, and as pro-employee as I am, I have to say that I really don't have much of a problem with this. If you are using work computers during work time, that is the property of the employer and not your own personal property. Therefore, they have the right to make their own policies regarding its use and collection of data, and how you are using work property. You have to assume that anything you do on work computers will be known to them and act accordingly.

If there are personal emails and/or texts you need to send, do it on your own personal devices on your own time. If there is personal internet business you need to complete, do it on your own devices on your own time. Period. And if the company provides personal devices for you to use, you still need to assume that everything on it will be subject to collection and/or will be known to the employer, because it remains their property.

Do NOT do ANYTHING on a work computer and/or device that you would not want known by your employer or be subject to data collection. That is just simple common sense nowadays.

[drventure]

13. That's true, however privacy laws and regulations still apply.

And no one has any problem with the government obtaining those records as long as they have a warrant that conforms to the laws of the land.

However, if there is a law that undermines, or circumvents one of our basic liberties, for example the 4th and 1st amendments, than many people are going to take issue with those illegal practices.

Clearly, that is what has everyone up in arms with the recent revelations from the latest whistle-blower.

As long as the notion of privacy is not dead, and it is still enumerated in our bill of rights, there will be push-back on this issue, and rightly so.

[yawnmaster]

14. best to use one's work computer only for work and one's personal computer...

NOT for work.

yep...that's how I do it.

[Rex]

15. True enough.

Even if it is on your personal laptop.

[question everything]

17. That so many employees do not realize this is amazing

This is what amazes me about "Cyber Monday" the Monday after Thanksgiving when so many, supposedly, are back at work and use the company computer to purchase gifts online.

How much time is being spent on this instead of... working?

When I was involved in a community project and was working on papers, I would bring my own disk - oh the days of floppy disks - to work on it and then take it home. Of course, never never saved anything personal on company computers. In earlier days, with the main frame, backup would occur at night. Thus, if I worked on something non-work related, I would delete it before I would go home.