by David Kramer

Created on: March 16, 2010

Email is not private.  Once a message is sent out, there really is no way to undo.  Therefore it's important to always consider what is being written as something that could show up any time, anywhere, to any audience.  This can be scary given even the most innocent of messages can become some of the greatest condemning works of literary excellence in absence of context.

First consider the recipient, just because a disclaimer says, "do not forward" or "if you are not the intended audience delete immediately", once it is out it is out.  There have been many incidences of emails going out about someone else and the sender accidentally addressed it to that someone else, deeply offending and ruining business and professional relationships.  Likewise a trusted recipient accidentally or intentionally can easily forward to unwanted parties.

Secondly, consider the hands the message must pass through.  The server that sends it, the server that receives, and every router in between and every machine it is stored on in the process.  All data that could eternally live on the Internet and end up in places never intended, again, either purposefully or unintentionally.  

Therefore, the best protection to protect from prying eyes is to first use common sense.  Avoid saying things that would not be embarrassing or create trouble if the whole world were suddenly able to see it.   This may not always be possible.  There are legitimate times where data or information is passed which can be totally embarrassing or result in losses if the wrong people view it. 

The measures one can take to prevent that are to encrypt the messages.  This too, however, is a Band-Aid approach given with enough time and resources the encryption can usually be reversed by someone with dedicated persistence.  So always be a person of character with high morals and ethics, hoping that truth will prevail even if an out of context message or file works against you.

Even if files and emails are kept on a computer and never transferred or shared over the Internet, there is reason for concern.   At one point it could have been said data is only safe on the moon, but since humankind set foot on the moon it is no longer safe.   If a person can get physical access to a machine or hard drive, the data can be captured and given enough time decrypted (if encrypted).   If the machine is on a network, physical access

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