But where do I stand?
If you are genuinely concerned about the level of security that your organisation has adopted it would be wise for you to check whether they have a written policy on email and internet use in place. The policy has to state exactly what is and what is not allowed in terms of the use of company equipment, and also to what extent communications can be monitored.

The policy should also not be kept under lock and key, as it should have been fully circulated within the organisation. Should your organisation be uncooperative regarding this matter and you have a fair reason to question this (i.e., they have issued disciplinary actions although there is no sight of a policy) then it would be sensible to contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau who should be able to point you in the right direction of an employment solicitor.

Conclusion

It has been alleged that in the UK over 200,000 TV cameras capable of covert surveillance have been sold. Phone tapping, or 'monitoring' as we have referred to it is advertised…as follows..'Telephone calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes'.

While we are all aware that many calls are monitored for training purposes, there are surely many that aren't monitored for that reason.

So please take it upon yourself to know your rights, so take this checklist away with you:

The best place to start is to read your employer's privacy, confidentiality and monitoring policy - along with any specific rules on email and/or telephone usage - but remember that these should really have been explained to you first.
What form is the monitoring taking?
Make a point of looking further into this topic to see how surveillance systems work.
If you think that your job might be on the line then foolhardy email and internet abuse might be the quickest way that they can get rid of you, so beware.

Keep your finger on the pulse of legal developments and their response as the law and the way that the law is enforced are under a lot of scrutiny at present - and the Data Protection Registrar is looking to strengthen the case of the employee!

The Home Office has denied it has any plans to order ISPs to retain data traffic for seven years to aid police forces in their fight against crime.

The statement came in response to a wave of speculation that Home Secretary Jack Straw will recommend a seven-year mandatory retention period for ISPs at next week's EU Council of Ministers meeting to discuss cross-border co-operation on crime. "The general policy of the UK government is that there are no plans to do so at this stage. Serious consideration would have to be given to such a move, taking into account not only law enforcement, but also the needs of ISPs and civil liberties issues," said a Home Office spokesman.

On 29 May, a meeting is scheduled for the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council to address a number of issues, including money-laundering, human trafficking and drug smuggling. It is understood that data traffic will be discussed as a means to combat crime, but will not be the central focus of the discussion.