Paper Topic:

Ellsworth Emails

Does Email Privacy Die with the Account Owner

Email is now the most common method of staying in touch with relatives and loved ones . It is an instant form of communication that is covered by a set rules that protects the account user 's privacy . In to get an email account , the courier service promises to deliver the highest level of privacy for its user . The user is protected against various forms of fraud and invasions of privacy . This is usually done by giving the account holder a specific password that acts as

the unlock code to the mailbox , or inbox in Internet lingo , of the person subscribed to the service . The main question now is "Does the privacy clause of a user contract expire upon the demise of the user " Such is the case of the emails of deceased US Marine Justine Ellsworth who died while in the line of duty in Iraq . It is understood that all his belongings now go to his next of kin , but should this include his private emails that , unlike regular postal mail , has a binding privacy agreement with the deceased

One reason that more people these days opt to send letters via email is because of the higher sense of privacy and security one gets from the Privacy Clause of the service provider . Unlike a personal letter that can be read by anyone who gets his hands on the now opened envelope , an email is readable only by a person who has the passwords to the email server . This is where the higher sense of privacy comes in . Therefore turning over the access codes to an email account to someone other than the account holder is to be considered a violation of privacy . Just because a person dies does not mean that he has given up his right to privacy . Thoughts and feelings are private matters that each person chooses to share with a select few . Reading anybody 's email , most specially a dead person 's private emails , is the highest form if disrespect and greatly devalues the respect accorded to the deceased Prying eyes never see or read anything nice in things other people wrote . That is a well-known fact

The ruling of the courts granting Mr . Ellsworth access to his son has posed a grave threat to email privacy as we know it . This landmark case has caused users to rethink the privacy agreements since it seems that the agreements carry no weight with the courts . I join majority of the people who believe that the courts overstepped the boundaries of privacy when they ed Yahoo ! to share the emails of Justin with his parents without is consent . Justin is no longer around to defend himself and the contents of any emails in his accounts may or may not have a profound effect on his family , friends , associates , etc . There are just some things that are better left alone , unread , and unsaid . Emails are one of those things

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