Emails can come back to haunt organisations

Category: Electronic Disclosure

12 September, 2012

Staff need to be educated about the longevity of electronic files and emails.

In the past, paper documents could be permanently deleted but it is far harder to erase files on a computer or emails.

Hitting the delete button does not remove the file, it just hides it from view, so it can be recovered during discovery.

With this in mind, employees need to take care over what they write in emails as it will be recorded forever.

The problem is, the number of emails people write per day means they are often fired off without much attention paid to the content or wording.

Viewed in retrospect, an innocuous email could take on new implications and may be an integral part of a case.

This was the case during both the Barclay's Bank Libor scandal and the investigation into abuse at Penn State University, where emails were the cornerstone of legal evidence.

Businesses need to have a clear email policy to ensure staff are careful about the content of emails and ensure employees are following those protocols.

Electronic Disclosure– Kroll Ontrack has the technological strength, expertise, and commitment to ensure your success in managing small e-disclosure projects as well as large volumes of electronic evidence legally, accurately and cost-effectively.