You be the Judge

Last week, one of my co-workers emailed a bunch of us this video of Milton singing “The Man Song”:

So what did you think of it? If not at least a little humorous, the emasculating overtones are amusing.  But then I got to thinking, I just received this on my work email account – at work, at a government agency.  I don’t know what kind of acceptable use policy your job has, but as a State employee my usage is governed by State law, Administrative rules, and agency policies and procedures.

I sent this reply to my co-worker and everyone on the email distribution list:

Aloha e [REDACTED]

I think it’s quite apropos that you sent this email on the same day the [REDACTED] Computer and Internet Policy was distributed to [REDACTED].  Here are some points for all of us to keep in mind, from the policy:

• E-mail system [is]…to be used for official company business only… {paragraph 1}
• The agency specifically prohibits…access in ways that are offensive to others… {paragraph 2}
• Users are banned from displaying…information that is sexually explicit, fraudulent, profane, obscene, defamatory…or any harassment or shows disrespect…. {paragraph3}
• Employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner…when composing and transmitting electronic communications {paragraph 4}
• …e-mail messages and other use of the agency’s computers are not confidential… {paragraph 7}

Several of us have discussed these sorts of email forwards with you before, discouraging you from sending them.  Remember your RAPE/SHAFT/SCREW/AIDS/HERPES email of February 20?  For your sake and that of our agency, I hope going forward you will be more judicious in what you send out, and to whom.

While I don’t personally find this attachment offensive, I’m certain some would find it “obscene” or “defamatory.”  Perhaps I’m the only one willing to speak up about it.  Surely the high proportion of females in [REDACTED] has not been lost on you?  In my opinion, you really shouldn’t be sending these from your [REDACTED] address – period!  [REDACTED] uses this as his guide:  “Would I feel comfortable seeing this on the front page of the newspaper?”  I use this as my guide:  “How would I explain this to the Auditor?”  If you absolutely must share such information in the future, I highly encourage you to do so with your personal email.

And to make it absolutely clear, DO NOT SEND SUCH EMAILS TO ME.  I’m not asking you, I’m telling you.  In the on-going enforcement of the new policy, you have put *all of us* in jeopardy of violating it because we are possessing such material, through no fault of our own, but rather what I consider a large error in judgment on your part.

Mahalo, Capsun

So, you be the judge:  was I too harsh? I was not personally offended by this and I even chuckled.  But work email should be used for work, right?  I do have a personal email account and this co-worker has sent me things to that personal email account from his personal email account.  So I think my message was received.

Could you imagine what my email would have said if I *were* offended?

Mahalo!

Tagged as: acceptable use, internet, judge