[conspire] (forw) Re: GOOGLE: If You Use Gmail, You Have 'No Legitimate Expectation Of Privacy'

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Tony Godshall (togo at of.net):

> The whole e-mail left on servers you don't own
> being considered abandoned and fair game is quite an issue

Not entirely right.  

As a customer, you are owed legally enforceable duties of fair dealing
and protection of your interests.  Also, the company is motivated to
provide that protection, not at all costs and to only the degree that
other interests don't override that pressure, but it's a significant
protection.

As a non-customer (e.g., a GMail user), you don't have that.

As always, the best way to prevent abuse is to make it impossible, e.g.,
to keep your Internet traffic out of the hands of people likely to
behave badly with it.

> It's no surprise to many of us but I imagine the
> publicity is valuable if it moves public policy/

Don't hold your breath waiting.