WNYC had a self-described workplace privacy expert on the air yesterday. He was discussing the usual cautions on sending personal emails using company email accounts and equipment. He said the only form of electronic communication in which he felt it was safe sending personal messages would be over a wireless Internet connection. So, for example, if you have a company BlackBerry, and use a hotmail or yahoo account using the wireless Internet interface, then he said it was very difficult for the company to monitor. He claimed that the messages were served over the provider's servers, so the company would have to go back to their provider to retrieve them, and that this is almost never done. However, I know that my corporate email on my BB is served (at least initially) over a company server. So I'm wondering if he really knew what he was talking about?
He was also asked about using IM, and said that, since it's delivered over the company's server, messages could be monitored (although, I've heard otherwise; someone in my company's IT department said it was difficult to monitor chat and they have banned us using chat to transfer documents to anyone out of the office because they feel it's a violation of Sarbanes Oxley because it can't be monitored).
He was also asked about using IM, and said that, since it's delivered over the company's server, messages could be monitored (although, I've heard otherwise; someone in my company's IT department said it was difficult to monitor chat and they have banned us using chat to transfer documents to anyone out of the office because they feel it's a violation of Sarbanes Oxley because it can't be monitored).