Full Version: Protecting your Username/privacy
When you join a group do you lose your privacy rights? What would be your legal obligations - for example do you have to give up your password to the administrator of the group? Does your account and all its contents become the property of the group?
QUOTE(Alba @ Wed Sep 19 2007, 13:30) [snapback]442923[/snapback]
When you join a group do you lose your privacy rights? What would be your legal obligations - for example do you have to give up your password to the administrator of the group? Does your account and all its contents become the property of the group?
The administrator of the Business Control Panel has no access to your account, but they will be able to see your account balance. That is, they can see the total amount of credit on your account. They can give you credit, but they cannot take it back.
If they give you a SkypeIn number they can take it back again. However, they can only take their own SkypeIn number. If you have purchased one privately (via your account) then that SkypeIn number cannot be taken by the administrator.
ok I don't have a Skype-in number with this account, the account was opened by me and has personal details attached to it, eg my personal email and mobile number also my first name so unique to my identity.
My administrator says that it "is a company communication facility. As the password was changed we cannot access it. This deprives us from the possibility to track potentially important incoming communication. " I have 48hrs to give them the password.
What is the legal situation with reference to being part of a group?
My administrator says that it "is a company communication facility. As the password was changed we cannot access it. This deprives us from the possibility to track potentially important incoming communication. " I have 48hrs to give them the password.
What is the legal situation with reference to being part of a group?
QUOTE(Alba @ Wed Sep 19 2007, 14:35) [snapback]442946[/snapback]
ok I don't have a Skype-in number with this account, the account was opened by me and has personal details attached to it, eg my personal email and mobile number also my first name so unique to my identity.
My administrator says that it "is a company communication facility. As the password was changed we cannot access it. This deprives us from the possibility to track potentially important incoming communication. " I have 48hrs to give them the password.
What is the legal situation with reference to being part of a group?
I am not a lawyer, but I would say that the Skype username is your "personal account" if you created it.
If I was in your situation I would ask the company to provide me with another account. They should create it and they should assign the password. This would become the "business account" and it could be controlled by the company.
Thanks Spud5
I have searched everywhere on Skype to find out what the legal standing is on your own account when you join a group. When I joined the group there was no such thing as a Business Group, It was only to make it easier to distribute funds between members using one account and it came under the heading Skype Groups (Feb 2006) I think.
The new Skype for business is a great idea especially for businesses to create user accounts for employees which are not their personal accounts however members should be made aware of who owns the account and you should be able to leave the group without going to the administrator if you own the account and not be threatened with 48hrs or else!
I have searched everywhere on Skype to find out what the legal standing is on your own account when you join a group. When I joined the group there was no such thing as a Business Group, It was only to make it easier to distribute funds between members using one account and it came under the heading Skype Groups (Feb 2006) I think.
The new Skype for business is a great idea especially for businesses to create user accounts for employees which are not their personal accounts however members should be made aware of who owns the account and you should be able to leave the group without going to the administrator if you own the account and not be threatened with 48hrs or else!
QUOTE(Alba @ Wed Sep 19 2007, 14:57) [snapback]442956[/snapback]
Thanks Spud5
I have searched everywhere on Skype to find out what the legal standing is on your own account when you join a group. When I joined the group there was no such thing as a Business Group, It was only to make it easier to distribute funds between members using one account and it came under the heading Skype Groups (Feb 2006) I think.
The new Skype for business is a great idea especially for businesses to create user accounts for employees which are not their personal accounts however members should be made aware of who owns the account and you should be able to leave the group without going to the administrator if you own the account and not be threatened with 48hrs or else!
Skype Groups became Skype For Business, but it doesn't give the administrator a legal right to your account.
It sounds like the company wants to see a record of your business communications, but they shouldn't be asking for your password. I guess you don't want to lose your job, so why not allow them to see the records?
You can politely explain that the account is your personal Skype account and suggest that they create a new account for future business use.
QUOTE(spud5 @ Wed Sep 19 2007, 15:23) [snapback]442967[/snapback]
Skype Groups became Skype For Business, but it doesn't give the administrator a legal right to your account.
It sounds like the company wants to see a record of your business communications, but they shouldn't be asking for your password. I guess you don't want to lose your job, so why not allow them to see the records?
You can politely explain that the account is your personal Skype account and suggest that they create a new account for future business use.
Too late they have already ended my contract for economic reasons I think they may want to see my communications and I have no problem with sending them a copy of my history I don't think I have anything to hide, however once I leave I don't think they should be able to use my account with my personal details and I
don't like being threatened. I just need to know if it is my account. BTW I have a small credit balance which I offered back but was told it was not the point so I fear something underhand! My Skype account is not on my business card, I have never given it out to business contacts and the account was only used to call prospective clients, I never received calls from clients nor do I have any clients in my contacts with skype addresses!
So any Legal Eagles out there know WHO OWNS THE ACCOUNT and HOW DO I PROTECT MY PRIVACY
QUOTE
http://www.skype.com/intl/en/legal/terms/web/ states:
Accounts and Security
Skype does not warrant that the functions contained in the service provided by the Site will be uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected or that this service or the server that makes it available will be free of viruses or other harmful components.
As part of the registration process, each Patron will select a password (“Password”) and User Name (“User Name”). You shall provide Skype with accurate, complete, and updated Account information. Failure to do so shall constitute a breach of this Terms of Use, which may result in immediate termination of your Account. You may not (i) select or use a User Name of another person with the intent to impersonate that person; (ii) use a name subject to the rights of any other person without authorization; or (iii) use a User Name that Skype, in its sole discretion, deems inappropriate or offensive.
You shall notify Skype of any known or suspected unauthorized use(s) of your Account, or any known or suspected breach of security, including loss, theft, or unauthorized disclosure of your password. [color=#FF0000]You shall be responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password.
Any fraudulent, abusive, or otherwise illegal activity may be grounds for termination of your Account, at Skype’s sole discretion, and you may be reported to appropriate law-enforcement agencies.
Accounts and Security
Skype does not warrant that the functions contained in the service provided by the Site will be uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected or that this service or the server that makes it available will be free of viruses or other harmful components.
As part of the registration process, each Patron will select a password (“Password”) and User Name (“User Name”). You shall provide Skype with accurate, complete, and updated Account information. Failure to do so shall constitute a breach of this Terms of Use, which may result in immediate termination of your Account. You may not (i) select or use a User Name of another person with the intent to impersonate that person; (ii) use a name subject to the rights of any other person without authorization; or (iii) use a User Name that Skype, in its sole discretion, deems inappropriate or offensive.
You shall notify Skype of any known or suspected unauthorized use(s) of your Account, or any known or suspected breach of security, including loss, theft, or unauthorized disclosure of your password. [color=#FF0000]You shall be responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password.
Any fraudulent, abusive, or otherwise illegal activity may be grounds for termination of your Account, at Skype’s sole discretion, and you may be reported to appropriate law-enforcement agencies.
Does this mean that as my name is on the username and I opened the account I am not legally obliged to give my password over to the administrator? after all they can pretend to be me, add contacts and send files to clients in my name which are not authorised,,,,,,,,
You are asking questions about something that few are able to answer.
First and foremost, in all situations, you have exactly as many "rights" as you can afford to assert. If you are on a street corner and a police officer say "Shut up", you can continue to talk. You are exercising your rights. He can/will arrest you for one thing or another and you will have the opportunity to visit a jail, hire a lawyer, attend court, and be found guilty or not guilty. Maybe you will even get to pay a fine.
In this case, it sound to me like you used Skype in a business setting and the company you were with likely (most places I am familiar with) has the right to examine your logs, chats, email, etc to see if you have violated any of their policies, stolen info, etc.
At the end of the day, I'd give them access to the account, then change the password in a week. If they asked after that I'd get in writing what they want, why they want it, and how long they will require access.
First and foremost, in all situations, you have exactly as many "rights" as you can afford to assert. If you are on a street corner and a police officer say "Shut up", you can continue to talk. You are exercising your rights. He can/will arrest you for one thing or another and you will have the opportunity to visit a jail, hire a lawyer, attend court, and be found guilty or not guilty. Maybe you will even get to pay a fine.
In this case, it sound to me like you used Skype in a business setting and the company you were with likely (most places I am familiar with) has the right to examine your logs, chats, email, etc to see if you have violated any of their policies, stolen info, etc.
At the end of the day, I'd give them access to the account, then change the password in a week. If they asked after that I'd get in writing what they want, why they want it, and how long they will require access.
QUOTE(GHammer @ Mon Sep 24 2007, 00:26) [snapback]444534[/snapback]
You are asking questions about something that few are able to answer.
First and foremost, in all situations, you have exactly as many "rights" as you can afford to assert. If you are on a street corner and a police officer say "Shut up", you can continue to talk. You are exercising your rights. He can/will arrest you for one thing or another and you will have the opportunity to visit a jail, hire a lawyer, attend court, and be found guilty or not guilty. Maybe you will even get to pay a fine.
In this case, it sound to me like you used Skype in a business setting and the company you were with likely (most places I am familiar with) has the right to examine your logs, chats, email, etc to see if you have violated any of their policies, stolen info, etc.
At the end of the day, I'd give them access to the account, then change the password in a week. If they asked after that I'd get in writing what they want, why they want it, and how long they will require access.
That is as may well be, however if I bought say my own uniform for work would I have to leave it when I left? I opened the account to seperate my home from work that is true, I have nothing to hide in any communications I made through the account, however our company did not have any policies in place it was left to your own integrity. The point of the matter is that the account was opened in my name by me, it has my personal mobile number for sms's which I cannot remove, I have been made redundant but I think they may be trying to find a way to sack me so that they don't have to pay me 3 months severence pay. I don't want to hand them any amunition (although I don't think there is any with this account but you never know) I want to protect my privacy. If I give them the password whats to say they won't change it then they have my account and my identity. If the company had opened the account and assigned it to me then that would be a different matter but they didn't.
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