Controlling employee email and Internet use may violate European law
Countries throughout Europe may be relaxing data protection and privacy laws to fight terrorism and organized crime. But when it comes to protecting employee confidentiality, the European Court of Human Rights recently decided to draw the line. In the case of Copland v. the United Kingdom (no. 62617/00), the Court ruled that controlling personal calls, emails and Internet use interfered with the rights of a European citizen – specifically of Ms. Lynette Copland, a UK national – forcing that country’s Government to pay 9,000 Euros in damages and to cover legal expenses.