Internet Law Exercise 5

Privacy protection of e-mail

Whether or not the Electronic Communications Privacy Act [ECPA] adequately protects electronic mail remains somewhat undecided. Information access and privacy issues will continue to dominate the internet landscape for sometime. Visit the THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS PRIVACY ACT OF 1986 - A LAYMAN'S VIEW and then read the full text of the statute. http://www.eff.org/pub/Legislation/ecpa_laymans_view.article

Also visit the Steve Jackson Games v. U.S.S.S Web Page. (http://www.sjgames.com/SS/). Read through the "case documents" including the trial and appeals court decisions.

An interesting site for "comparative" research is Privacy International.  (http://www.privacyinternational.org/)

See also "Preserving Electronic Information" (http://www.fjc.gov/public/pdf.nsf/lookup/ElecDi02.pdf/$file/ElecDi02.pdf)

Browse the net for any other information you may require to answer the following question: What privacy "rights" do you have in your e-mail account provided to you at the university?

Send me, via Mrs.Judy McAlister, an e-mail with your reasoned response (200-300 words).

Send to: jpmcalis@samford.edu

Include your personal identification information in any answer you "attach" to e-mail, otherewise you may not get full credit for your answer.