The U.S. Supreme Court declined to carve out new rights to digital privacy for public sector workers in its 9-0 decision in City of Ontario v. Quon. The case revolved around the question of whether the Ontario, Calif., police force had the right to read text messages employees sent using the department’s equipment and wireless service. The department had no formal policy about text-messaging, but it did have a general computer, Internet and email policy, which stated that use of such equipment and services was limited to city business.
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SC Leaves Big Questions Open in Text-Message Privacy Case
Posted by: Erika Morphy June 18, 2010 01:52 PMThe U.S. Supreme Court declined to carve out new rights to digital privacy for public sector workers in its 9-0 decision in City of Ontario v. Quon. The case revolved around the question of whether the Ontario, Calif., police force had the right to read text messages employees sent using the department’s equipment and wireless service. The department had no formal policy about text-messaging, but it did have a general computer, Internet and email policy, which stated that use of such equipment and services was limited to city business.