From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Jul 20 19:01:48 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id F14E81065670 for ; Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:01:48 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from cpghost@cordula.ws) Received: from mail-vx0-f182.google.com (mail-vx0-f182.google.com [209.85.220.182]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B62A58FC13 for ; Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:01:48 +0000 (UTC) Received: by vxg33 with SMTP id 33so546203vxg.13 for ; Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:01:48 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.220.178.4 with SMTP id bk4mr1316769vcb.82.1311188507577; Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:01:47 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.220.100.73 with HTTP; Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:01:47 -0700 (PDT) X-Originating-IP: [93.221.178.13] In-Reply-To: <201107191349.p6JDn2H2033289@mail.r-bonomi.com> References: <201107191349.p6JDn2H2033289@mail.r-bonomi.com> Date: Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:01:47 +0200 Message-ID: From: "C. P. Ghost" To: Robert Bonomi Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Tools to find "unlegal" files ( videos , music etc ) X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:01:49 -0000 On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 3:49 PM, Robert Bonomi wrote: >> > For example, if it is part of the _terms_of_emplyment_ -- which one >> > *agreed* to, by going to work there --that you (the employeee) give >> > permission for the company, or it's agents, to examine any file you >> > store on the system. >> >> It depends on the jurisdiction. For example, in Germany, you as an >> employee CAN'T waive some basic rights by law, and every waiver you've >> signed with your employer is automatically null and void, at least the >> provisions that affect those specific rights. > > Do you mean to suggest that an employee _cannot_ give permission to *anyone* > (whether it is the employer, or just a friend) to look at any file that is > categorized as 'private' ?? > > If they can give permission for 'someone' to look at a particular file, > what prevents them from giving that someone permission to look at _every_ > such file? We're getting to the point where only lawyers should give binding advice, according to a particular jurisdiction, so I obviously won't offer any such advice here. The point though, is /roughly/ this: yes, an individual CAN give permission for others to inspect his/her files (usually in his presence). BUT a company CANNOT require or compel the user to give this permission as a prerequisite for entering an agreement. Or, in other words, a company couldn't simply state in their TOS: "user is giving permission to company to inspect all files he stores in his private area." Such a language would be null and void under most circumstance. That is at least the situation here. >> Again, jurisdictions vary widely. We here in Europe are at the farthest >> spectrum in terms of privacy protection of workers (students etc..) in >> the workplace (school etc...). > > Educational institutions here _are_ subject to somewhat differnet rules > than corporates. True, most (i.e. all but a very few private Universities) are public institutions here. We're effectively and de jure part of the State infrastructure, and as such subject to a different set of rules. However, privacy protection applies just as much to corporations, if not even more so. Or, to sum up this thread (if you please): original poster, and every other sysadmin and IT head should check with their lawyer(s) before even considering or attempting to invade their users' privacy for whatever reason. The "slippery when wet" warning applies. -cpghost. -- Cordula's Web. http://www.cordula.ws/