Forum Moderators: not2easy
I've emailed a company to ask about one of their product's technical specs which is not readily available on the website.
Question: what would be the risk of publishing that one spec in an article on my website without asking for permission? The email from the company doesn't include a legal disclaimer.
Are there any laws governing the confidentiality of email communication?
Is there a particular reason you don't want to ask for permission? That would be the best option.
[edited by: Beagle at 2:01 pm (utc) on Nov. 22, 2006]
Are there any laws governing the confidentiality of email communication?
Not specifically, but there are issues you need to consider.
1. Copyright - however you received the information, there are copyright issues, which vary from country to country. I read somewhere that in the US, the addressee owns the rights (ie they've been given them); in most countries, the writer always owns to content unless formally given away / sold.
2. Defamation etc. - you need to consider the effects of using the info.
3. Privacy. few countries have privacy laws that apply, but - should it come to that - courts may consider the sense of the email, not just the words. If you've been involved in correspondence that you know is confidential, and it's release will obviously hurt the sender, then it could be argued that you didn't need the legal disclaimer; you knew.
There's also the non-legal issue - common courtesy. Correspondence is a matter of trust; publishing correspondence without asking the other party could hurt your reputation, and undermine whatever point you wish to make.
Sorry this is all a bit woolly and vague - but that's the way it is, particularly as I don't know exactly what issues apply in your case.
It's the same as all other copyrighted works...the author owns the copyright.
