Inappropriate photos, off-color jokes forwarded in e-mail

Charlotte Observer | 07/25/2006 | Nude photos, off-color jokes forwarded in e-mail

A review of a month’s worth of Weston’s e-mail shows he also sent other e-mails on his county account that include nudity and race-themed jokes. The records show he sent an e-mail to someone outside the county that said: “pleasing 2 afro-am bosses is a chore …”

While this story is nothing new, for me it made me think a bit. The title of the article is a bit misleading, the guy was not sending lewd pictures to his co-workers, but some inappropriate political humor. I am sure many of us have received inappropriate jokes (especially political ones) in the name of humor, but when it involves the work account it can mean trouble. But how many of us use our work accounts for personal communication? Isn’t that technically inappropriate? This could get sticky before it gets better, but technology will make it better. VOIP technology already allows for SIP (session initiation protocol). The cool thing about SIP is the idea of presence. It can bring multiple technologies together and send the information to where you are. So your e-mail, voicemail etc. is available to you at home, on your cell phone or at the office. In the future we might use on account (a personal one) for sending everything, but have different addresses for receiving things. All arriving at the same place….wherever you are. But until then we better watch what we say while using corporate resources. Not just becasue you could get caught, but because it is the right thing to do.

Here is a great related article with a good analysis of how e-mail can get people in trouble, even if the e-mail itself is not a problem. I really like the analogy that e-mail is now like a company’s DNA.

25 July, 2006 |

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