A real hot button with Clark has been e-mail messages and privacy. There was a very controversial court ruling that determined that our e-mail messages are not private. Basically, the decision determined that whoever owns the server that delivers or captures your e-mail messages can read your mail. E-mail is subject to less privacy than any other form of correspondence. For example, if someone opens a letter in your mailbox, it’s a violation of federal law. And, if someone wants to listen to your phone calls, a wire tap order is required. But e-mail is completely accessible legally to anyone or any company where the e-mail stops along the way. Hopefully, Congress will change this. But in the meantime, remember to never send or receive e-mail at work that could be embarrassing to you or could cost you your job. Your employer is free to read your e-mail whenever he or she wants because the computer at work belongs to the company. And never, ever look at adult content sites at work. Be smart about this stuff and you won’t have anything to worry about.

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In other privacy news, California has joined North Dakota in the fight against the banking industry’s pitiful privacy practices. In those two states, banks have to get written permission to share your information. In the other 48 states, the banking industry is free to share your information with anyone who pays them for it. Also remember to check your credit card statements and bank statements line-by-line because you never know who has a hold of your information and is charging you phony fees.