Feature Articles
Is
Spam Ordinary Commercial Speech?
by Stan Morris
An informal poll within the U.S. indicates that more than
half of respondents favor a law restricting "spam," that is, unwanted electronic advertising that everyone
with an e-mail address has been exposed to but does not
know how to stop. In the poll, 30 percent favor making
false e-mail headers illegal, but only slightly more than
11 percent said spam restrictions would violate the First
Amendment.
Using
E-mail as a Management Tool
by Marilynne Rudick and Leslie
O’Flahavan
We’ve all heard stories about people who clicked
“send” too soon. But here’s a story
you may not have heard. One of our clients described
an e-mail message he recently received from upper management
at his company. The message had some information about
how to request annual leave and plans to landscape the
building. The message ended with these words: “By
the way, you have a new boss. The product development
team’s new director will be James Yang. Margie
Esposito, the former director, left last Friday.”
Obviously, the cardinal rule of using e-mail as a management
tool is “know when to use e-mail.” Some
messages, like a sudden change in upper management,
should be delivered in person.
Old
Claims with a New Twist: E-Harassment in the Workplace
by Douglas M. Towns
Many companies carry out portions of their business via
an intranet or the Internet. Other companies grant access
to the Internet to some, if not all, employees. The ease
with which these systems allow employees to communicate
with each other and with the outside world presents obvious
business advantages. Unfortunately, employers now realize
that the advantages gained by these technologies bring
with them the risk of a new wave of harassment claims
based on the alleged misuse of these modes of communication.
In order to reduce these claims, or at least attempt to
minimize exposure to such claims, employers will have
to adjust to meet the new dynamics of a changing workplace.
Is
E-mail Still Effective?
by Richard Hoy
With recent press surrounding the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act and
possible future charges for sending e-mail as well as
virus creators competing with each other for infection
rates, how can you ensure that your e-mail communications
are still effective and reach their intended recipients?
E-mail has qualities that make it an ideal communication
vehicle. But for all of these positive characteristics,
e-mail has taken a serious blow over the past six years.
An anti-spam technology company estimated that 62 percent
of all e-mail sent across the Internet was identified
as some sort of spam by users of their technology.
Legal
Issues Involved in Monitoring Employees' Internet and
E-mail Usage
by Douglas M. Towns
Many employers have determined that there is a need to
monitor employees' computer usage. According to a 2003
survey by the American Management Association, more than
half of U.S. companies engage in some form of e-mail monitoring.
Often, this is in addition to monitoring work-related
communications and activities—including
reviewing Internet usage, videotaping the work-site or
recording employee telephone calls. More and more employers
are engaging in some form of monitoring. Unfortunately,
without a full understanding of the risks, employers may
open themselves up to potential lawsuits. In addition,
such techniques may result in low morale among employees
who resent being told that they cannot use e-mail for
personal messages and feel that their every move is being
monitored.
Columns Communication
in the News Privacy
Laws & Communication
by Heather Turbeville, staff writer
With the advent of the Internet and the ability to send
personal information to many places in very little time,
privacy has become an important issue for businesses across
the globe. How to retain the free flow of information
without violating an individual’s right to privacy
is a difficult balance to strike and one that different
countries approach in various ways.
Related
Links E-Communication
Resource Links
E-Communication is quickly becoming the primary avenue
for many individuals and businesses to distribute and
access information. Understanding the legal and practical
applications of e-communication is essential for maximizing
the use of this emergent trend. Below are links related
to various aspects of e-communication, including legal
issues, e-marketing and spam.
Case
Studies Industry
News
- DMA Releases International Anti-Spam Law Summary
- Businesses Saying It by E-mail
- E-mail Newsletters Too Long, Too Frequent
- People Lie More on the Phone Than by E-mail
- Survey Unveils E-mail Users’ Perceptions Regarding
Spam and Requested E-mail
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