Bill Gates once said “We live the observed life”. Translation…assume that everything you say, write, or do will be reviewed by a team of lawyers…with the worst of intentions.

Working on personal computers does not mean everything we do is personal and private. Email is an impersonal and informal type of communication. We sometimes write things in email that we wouldn’t say face to face, or even on the telephone. Instant Messaging is even more informal. Some think that when the session ends the message vanishes. Not always. Some services log and archive IMs.