Re: Confidentiality notices

[Ian Lance Taylor <ian@airs.com>]

fche@redhat.com writes:

> > I've noticed several e-mails recently with confidentiality notices
> > which we are violating when we archive the message on the web site.
> > [...]
> 
> Are you sure that "we are violating" something?  The typical verbal
> diarrhea warns not to send stuff beyond the intended recipients.
> Has someone put forward a plausible interpretation that applies
> even when the intended recipient is a public mailing list?  (My
> impression is that we should expend no effort on issue, and let
> the notices speak for themselves about the originator's silliness.)

No, I'm not sure.

However, the most recent notice I saw said this:

    ****************************************
    Confidentiality Notice

    The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this message are intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender at mailadmin@isofttech.com immediately and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments.

    ****************************************

It was addressed to gcc@gcc.gnu.org.  It seems clear that anybody on
that mailing list is an addressee.  However, we have now put this
message on the web:
    http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2004-01/msg02087.html

It seems clear that any random person on the web is not an addressee
of the message.  Those people are in principle required to notify
isofttech.com and destroy the message.

It's true that probably no lawsuit could succeed here.  But I'm not
comfortable with the situation.

Ian