pc@hplabsb.UUCP (Patricia Collins) (03/09/84)
Does anyone know if it is legal to publish another person's private correspondence, without the author's permission? In my family, there was a rigid rule that an individual's mail was their property, to be read by no one else without the owner's (receiver's) permission, and I believe there is a similar federal law (no one can take your mail without your permission). Does the author (sender) have any rights? Must we copyright our private correspondence? This subject has come up within our office (for business correspondence), and on the network (where occasionally people quote private correspondence without the author's permission). Obviously, the School of Hard Knocks teaches that you don't say/write anything you don't want to be quoted on by your enemies and unthinking friends. Anyone who can point me to a law or legal precedent has my thanks! Patricia Collins hplabs