New regulations that allow companies to access their employees e-mails have now come into effect. These regulations were drawn up by the Government after business leaders expressed their concern that they were powerless to control the misuse of networks by their staff. These outlines indicate where employers can monitor e-mails or telephone calls without their employees consent, thus allowing managers to use these rules to guard against computer viruses or ensuring that employees are not accessing offensive material. The director of the Foundation for Information Policy Research, Caspar Bowden has spoken against such measures and feels that the government is shirking their responsibilities by allowing bosses to establish a mechanism of bullying towards their employees. The Manufacturing Science and Finance Union have also warned that this move could result in a legal challenge under the European Human Rights Charter.
