In Japan, a woman has been arrested for allegedly accessing an e-mail account held by a fellow employee by fraudulently obtaining her colleague’s password details. This is reported to be the first arrest under Japanese internet privacy laws.
In the UK, it is unlawful to intercept electronic communications unless the interception has been authorised, whether by a warrant, by consent, or by regulations. Regulations that came into force in October 2000 provide circumstances in which a business can lawfully intercept e-mails, but employees must be notified of any monitoring.
You can find out all the rules in our guide to internet and e-mail policies.