How bad is it to open someone elses E mail?
 

My niece hacked into my daughters private yahoo email account and systematically read through at least 15 emails before coming across a private conversation between myself, her mother and my daughter. The email was among other things about the nieces un-trust worthinesses.

What are your thoughts? Is this illegal?

Don't know about illegal, but it certainly validates your concerns about her untrustworthiness.

It's bad form, but I wouldn't say illegal. I assume when you say 'hacked' that you mean your daughter left her mail open or gave out her password. In my mind that's like leaving your 'regular' mail on the table and then having your niece go through it. Bad yes, but not something I'd call the cops over.

If she really hacked in to her e-mail account then I take back what I said.

Kind of funny that your niece would find an e-mail about her trustworthiness or lack thereof. How did you catch her?

The stupid b%$ emailed from my daughters email account.

After doing some research it is against the law. Their is a california penal code that makes it very clear that you cant even read some ones email.

Same feeling here. The niece needs to go back home for a while and not return to the house IMHO.

Over here we would call that invasion of privacy. Basically illegal.
I wonder if this is similar to opening snail mail?

Before blocking her from your home. It sounds like this child needs some counseling or on a simpler line of thought, a family get together.

This might be the chance since she has been caught red handed.

It is possible a good chance to find out why your neice doesn't trust you and everybody else. I'm sure that she sees things differently than the rest of you.

How old is she? Sounds like misguided teenager stuff.

She is 24 years old, but the mentality of a 15 year old

have your private conversations in person next time.

Is she hot?

Sorry, I culdn't resist. It may technically be illegal, but I don't know of any agencies that would prosecute it. I think you just need to deal with her appropriately, as in making sure she is never trusted with any information or thing of value and you politely keep your family away from her as much as possible.

Sometimes ostracism is a good thing.

I treat all email as the "public fodder" that it is. I doubt seriously if reading someone's email is truly illegal (after an appeals process), and if it were, I can't see it being prosecuted. Privacy certainly doesn't apply to corporate america emails, etc.

edited: ps: like many, I thought you were referring to a "child"...at 24, she should be avoided imo.

We have a rule in our family that all emails can be read by any of us. But someone outside of us would be a big no-no.

+1 Never write an email you would not let the rest of the world read...sad but true. Emails are forever.:(

+1. Despite any "family policies", they are certainly almost "public domain" as they are passed around and archived on various servers.

If she's 24 , and as naughty as a 15 year old she sounds just my sort of girl.

Depends you your state/local laws. It's illegal in Washington State - Computer Trespass. Been on the books over 10 yrs. now.

Is she a horny mentally 15 year old, but age wise legal? Gosh, we could most likely find a "volunteer" poster here who could take her mind away from this email nonsense...:D

Pic required, of course...