My hotmail account was read when i had taken the day off from work? Does anyone know if that is illegal or not?
2007-07-04 02:07:30 · 19 answers · asked by hatty156 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
How did they get acces to your account? The answer all depends on this. It is not ethically right to do so, but if you left is up on your screen and someone was walking past and glanced over, then not much you can do.
2007-07-04 02:10:10 · answer #1 · answered by pirate_princess 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There have been a lot of great answers already, but the reality is this. Depending on the circumstances of when/who/how the email was read as well as local privacy laws would be the deciding factor of whether it was illegal or not.
Realistically the answer is probably no. Most companies have email and internet use policies in this day and age. If you were already breaking an internet access policy with work by checking your personal email then any information left available on your computer will more than likely be viewed by someone from IT.
Unless you use the same password for everything, use the automatic login feature, or gave the individual the password they wouldn't be able to login to your account.
If your email was checked away from the office by that individual it is an invasion of privacy and local laws would dictate what to do.
I'm sorry to hear about this situation as it is still an invasion of privacy and trust, but people should remember if you work somewhere and use a computer most companies do have use policies in place and personal websites are normally not allowed if at all.
2007-07-04 02:25:03 · answer #2 · answered by Riot 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
When using office equipment at work, i.e. telephones, fax machines, computers, copiers, there can be no expectation of privacy. You have to do more on the job to keep your business to yourself. For instance, never allow the computer system to remember passwords and account numbers. At home we do it as a convenience, however, you should know that the next person to come along and use the computer at work will have access to them too. Lock or log off of the computer when you go to break and lunch. When you fax something of a personal nature, annotate on the cover sheet that you are using a public fax machine, responses should be made by phone and that the recipient shouldn't respond by fax. Then, if you want something faxed, you can be waiting for it. The fact is we have some messed up people who will get all up in our business, if they can. Sometimes they do it, just because they can. At work, you have an obligation to protect yourself. You see what happens when you don't?
2007-07-04 02:27:04 · answer #3 · answered by Shon 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
how were they able to get into your account? did he have your password? Didn't you log off at the end of the day? If you saved it on your favorites page, or kept it in history, then it's your own foolish mistake.
If the hotmail account was created at work on work time on work computer, then the owners, your boss and/or human resources have the right to see what is in your email since it's their intellectual property. Same goes for any interoffice email, memos or IM's.
I'd still bring the issue up to both your boss and human resources/personnel mgr that a co-worker accessed your work computer w/out your permission.
2007-07-04 02:15:54 · answer #4 · answered by edgar_bambrick 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it is a works email account and you had the day off then no. But if it is your personal email account; how did they get your password? Also it could depend on what you have been receiving and look at at work, and when, but if you have done nothing wrong with regards to the account, change your password and maybe complain to your manager (unless of course it was them that got in to your account)
2007-07-04 02:14:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
No it is not illegal, unethical maybe. Company's monitor web traffic, so if you used a company PC to access hotmail, they possibly recorded your keystrokes and someone unethically got into your account. Problem is you used company equipment to access personal items. Once you did that you gave out your password.
Company's can listen to your voice mail, company email, take away their PC and look at it whenever they like. It is their equipment and I am sure they have told u to use it for company use.
Illegal, no. Unethical, yes.
2007-07-04 02:28:58 · answer #6 · answered by thunder2sys 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
expect you have rights to privacy, and most places your work station should be ID protected (for everyones security) how would you company view you using hotmail at work ? Hope you have changed your password ?
best to talk to a manager
2007-07-04 02:11:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I certainly know at school we have a program where the teacher can access all of our files, for obvious reasins. However if we put in a memory stick, without valid reason he is not allowed to browse through that... whether its the same for work emails, I dont know.
2007-07-04 02:33:25 · answer #8 · answered by George Harris 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why did they have access to your email? Those accounts are password protected. If you gave them the password or have it set up as auto-load then you have essentially given them permission. It wasn't very ethical, but its not illegal either.
2007-07-04 02:12:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I Don't Know if it's Illegal but it certainly isn't right, you should look into using some kind of password to keep it personal.
2007-07-04 02:12:21 · answer #10 · answered by Shawn G 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋