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September
2002
Bid to ban snooping on workers' emails |
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| Michael
Fabricant wants email snooping to stop |
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The
MP for Lichfield in South Staffordshire wants to introduce new laws
to protect workers' e-mail privacy at work. Michael Fabricant says
employers shouldn't be able to snoop on staff. |
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A Bill
to crack down on "nosey-Parker" employers to stop them reading private
e-mails written by their staff is to be introduced soon into the House
of Commons.
Michael Fabricant, Conservative MP for Lichfield, and chairman of
the Commons Information Select Committee, said that his measure would
give e-mails the same protection and privacy as now enjoyed by conventional
mail and telephone conversations.
"In other words," he said, "my bill would make it illegal for people,
other than the intended recipient, to read e-mails.
"This legislation is aimed primarily at those nosey-Parker employers
who are now routinely, as I understand it, monitoring their staffs'
e-mails to make sure they are on the job and not wasting time.
"I believe this is a serious intrusion into personal liberty and the
privacy of the individual."
Mr Fabricant, who is also a member of the Culture, Media and Sport
Select Committee, has already embarked on talks with Home Office ministers
about his plan.
"The police have to obtain warrants to tap telephone conversations
or steam open mail. Similar restrictions should be placed on employers
in relation to e-mails sent by their staff.
They are not allowed to interfere with private mail through the post,
so why should they have freedom to monitor other people's e-mails?"
he asked.
Mr Fabricant has also written to the House of Commons authorities
inquiring whether the e-mails of MPs are subject to any form of monitoring.
He has not yet received a reply. |
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