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Electronic Privacy

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Electronic Privacy
Electronic communications in the workplace is as common as type writers once were in an office. Technology has changed allowing people to work smarter and give us the ability to communicate across time zones and even globally with ease. An article on emarketer.com reported on the results of a survey conducted by Vault.com. According to the survey, 25% of employees use the Internet for personal use during office hours for at least 10 minutes each day. Thirteen percent of workers use the Internet for at least two hours per day. According to the survey cited above, “... 35% of employers think personal web time should be limited to 30 minutes per day” (McKay). The expectation of privacy by an employee during the time he or she uses the Internet at work remains in question.
Currently a standard for electronic communications at my current employer are not in writing or is it part of new employee orientation. Computer use varies by employees. Internet connection is made by telephone versus DSL or cable connection. Computers are turned off at the end of the day. E-mail accounts need to be accessible by all three location general managers as well as by the president of the company. This way if an employee is on vacation e-mails do not have to be forwarded and can be answered or addressed by one of the other general managers. So all though it is not part of the new employee orientation it is obvious that there is no expectation of privacy in the workplace. In the Information Security industry, other than the office manager and the business development manager there is not much time spent in the office. Technology allows employees to receive phone calls and e-mails while they are out of the office through the use of smart phones.
The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA or The Act) of 1986 was Congress’s response to the lack of protection of

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