Think we are mixing personal privacy with confidentiality, in the workplace
setting.
There is a distinction between the two which needs to be made clear to
everybody in the workplace, not an easy task. :-)
E.g. A written complaint about an organisation, or its dealings with an
individual will need a degree of confidentiality within the workplace, if
the staff affected by the complaint are not to be penalised by gossip.
Equally movement of monies needs to be secure. If all post is opened these
issues are compromised.
With e-mail, like telephone calls, an element of private 'chat' between
individuals will take place. It is unlikely an individual will receive
'private' snail mail at work, although on occasions this will happen.
The distinction between the two categories must be what determines who is
the data controller.
Clarifying what is work confidentiality, or personal privacy, seems to be
the difficulty, especially in the electronic environment as the two do
become mixed. How many people make a personal comment to somebody known to
them during a telephone call, or place one in an e-mail?
Education on the professional use of the systems whilst being used for work
purpose, and clearly defining when they are not, will not succeed in this,
because of human nature. It is either everybody becoming automaton in the
workplace, or a balance being achieved, via data protection or some other
mechanism, which provides for the element of workplace privacy which seems
to be required.
Ian W.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Wyatt" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 2:14 PM
Subject: Re: Mail
> Back to employees becoming controllers then ;-) Unless security policy
> allows gossip.
> David Wyatt
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of [log in to unmask]
> Sent: 09 February 2001 11:27
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Mail
>
> Where I used to work (many moons have passed) all mail was opened after
some
> video tapes were being passed around the male section of the workforce.
All
> the brown envelopes were marked "Personal, Private and Confidential."
>
> Following this new policy, private (and personal - according to the talk
so
> far these terms are different in meaning) details of individuals were
> disclosed to the mail room staff, chief officers' PAs and staff seconded
to
> those positions in times of absence.
>
> The accuracy of data in the gossip increased dramatically.
>
> Ian B
> MD
> Keep IT Legal Ltd
>
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or
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your
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>
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