Legal Question in Technology Law in California

Re: Reading Other People's Email?

Unless the recipient is under some legal duty (such as an attorney-client confidentiality, or has given a binding promise to keep the emails confidential), he's free to share the contents as he pleases.

If he PUBLISHED the contents, there might be copyright or related claims, but merely showing the email to others isn't legally actionable.

Lesson: Don't write/email/post information you wouldn't want others to see.

Re: Reading Other People's Email?

Probably. A's wishes do not have the force of law, so B does not have to obey them. Unless there is some other reason (for example, a prior agreement by B to keep the email confidential) why showing the message to C is illegal, B is free to do so.

Re: Reading Other People's Email?

The issue here, despite the e-mail context, is no different than 19th-Century (or earlier) gossip.

Person B has a right of free speech, and unless that right is abused by passing along the contents of the e-mail by it falling under some traditional tort category such as defamation or invasion of privacy, it is no more "illegal" or sue-on-able than old fashioned gossip.