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I worked at a company that uses Slack as its main casual communication medium. One day, I walked into a meeting to learn that I was being fired without warning

I worked at a company that uses Slack as its main casual communication medium. One day, I walked into a meeting to learn that I was being fired without warning, and would have absolutely no opportunity from that moment forward to log in to any of my business-related accounts. That sudden unexpected contextual change really puts the lack of privacy control into perspective. Suddenly, all the conversations that I had had with other coworkers were taken away from me, and made available to whoever was in charge of handling my old logins. Is that really acceptable? I always make a point to remember the communication medium that I am using, and to filter myself respectively, but how many events like this exist that I have no control of? How can I predict the events that will put my privacy in jeopardy? What text exists that I would have liked to be more private?

gdulli 7y ago
I don't think the firing changed anything, though. You have to assume your employer had access to your chats already. And emails, etc. Your net privacy didn't change.
- thomastjeffery 7y ago
  Two things changed drastically: 1. My access to that record. I can no longer audit or edit that information. Even though I made a constant effort to preserve my privacy, I am left with a worrying lack of certainty. After all, I can't be expected to remember many months worth of communication, or what out of that I may find concerning in this new context. 2. My relationship with my (ex) employer. Sure I could have assumed an eventual change in that relationship from the beginning, but it's still drastic to have that change come suddenly and without warning. I realize those are subtle, and that - hopefully - they do not become an issue. I only want to highlight my experience, because I found it eye opening. The real issue is that there is an informal expectation of privacy without the user having permanent control over his/her information.

gdulli 7y ago

I don't think the firing changed anything, though. You have to assume your employer had access to your chats already. And emails, etc. Your net privacy didn't change.

thomastjeffery 7y ago
Two things changed drastically: 1. My access to that record. I can no longer audit or edit that information. Even though I made a constant effort to preserve my privacy, I am left with a worrying lack of certainty. After all, I can't be expected to remember many months worth of communication, or what out of that I may find concerning in this new context. 2. My relationship with my (ex) employer. Sure I could have assumed an eventual change in that relationship from the beginning, but it's still drastic to have that change come suddenly and without warning. I realize those are subtle, and that - hopefully - they do not become an issue. I only want to highlight my experience, because I found it eye opening. The real issue is that there is an informal expectation of privacy without the user having permanent control over his/her information.