This issue is devoted to a discussion of ethical issues in technology. Technology poses intriguing ethical dilemmas not only because of the complexity of technological advancements in general, but also because technology is contantly evolving and therefore continually creating ethical issues not before considered. We hope that you find the brief comments contained in this newsletter provocative and welcome any comments or questions for publication in later newsletters. In establishing policy regarding electronic mail the first thing to keep in mind is the essence of email.
Electronic mail is a form of communication.
In developing policy regarding email it is useful to understand the similarities and differences between email and these other forms of communication. One of the important differences between email and most other forms of communication is the ease with which email can be reproduced, saved, copied, and forwarded. This feature of email makes it both easy to use and to abuse. Senders should be aware that email messages my not be as private as they think they are and should act accordingly. Like other information that is stored electronically on a computer system, email can be accessed by various users who have sufficient rights on the system as well as many savvy hackers.