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The guy wasn't fired for the password, he was fired for the sexual harassment of a coworker. And nothing you do on a work computer is secret from your employer

The guy wasn't fired for the password, he was fired for the sexual harassment of a coworker. And nothing you do on a work computer is secret from your employer. It's not a "private diary" if you're using your employer's hardware.

mongol 7y ago
If he was fired for sexual harassment, that is one thing. But a naughty password on its own? That was maybe not the case here but that is what I have doubts about.
- swampthinker 7y ago
  And people wonder why tech has a massive issue with sexism...
  - mongol 7y ago
    What does it have to do with tech? Everyone has passwords, and they are used all the time.
- sterkekoffie 7y ago
  What if it was violent, bigoted, or suicidal? Passwords are secret but they aren't necessarily private. If you wouldn't want to verbally verify it with your administrator you probably shouldn't use it.
  - mongol 7y ago
    I have seen many password policies that says that you never should disclose your password. I have never seen a password policy say that it must not be naughty. As for violent or suicidal, I am less sure. I guess I would reason like a doctor, who has a patient's privacy to consider, but when certain lines are crossed he can contact the police if he think there is risk of crime.
    - sterkekoffie 7y ago
      Then I think our only difference in opinion is whether making sexually aggressive statements about your coworkers is crossing a line or just "naughty."
      - mongol 7y ago
        The difference is maybe that I don't see a password as a statement. There is no intent to let anyone know it. The only purpose it serves is to be difficult to guess / crack and easy to remember.
      - AlexTWithBeard 7y ago
        It depends on whether the statement is public or private. Otherwise we're getting dangerously close to thoughtcrimes.
- jedberg 7y ago
  He was fired for sexual harassment.
reedwolf 7y ago
>he was fired for the sexual harassment of a coworker OP is vague on what this guy actually did. Note that they only went to the girl after cracking the password, and she said he was "creepy" towards her. "Creepy" in this context might just mean FWU (flirting while ugly).
- CydeWeys 7y ago
  If he got fired for it, it was probably bad. And you shouldn't be flirting at work.
- tbabb 7y ago
  I think it's very interesting how, despite knowing nearly nothing about the situation, everyone here is quick to doubt the victim, and make up scenarios (for which there is zero evidence) where the harasser is the victim.
  - bcatanzaro 7y ago
    For all its flaws, innocent until proven guilty is still the fairest justice system. Beyond a reasonable doubt is a high standard of proof. Because we use this standard, it is natural for people to look for reasonable doubts when talking about accusations. That is how western society works. And for very good reasons.
    - Falling3 7y ago
      > innocent until proven guilty is still the fairest justice system Justice system administered by a state where the repercussions include imprisonment and death - absolutely. But HR is not a judicial system and should not be viewed as one. I think I take your point to be just a descriptive observation of "our social discussion reflects a habit based on our exposure to judicial systems" and not a normative statement. Even if it's the former, I think it's naive and ignores a very real culture of doubt and victim-blaming exclusive to sexual violence.
      - kps 7y ago
astine 7y ago
I think that it's the conjunction of the password and the harassment accusation together that make this a fairly straightforward case. If it were just a creepy password, well, that demonstrates a certain level of creepiness but doesn't mean that he made it a problem for anyone else. It's possible to have private fantasies that remain private. On the other hand, if it was just the coworker's accusation, it would be just that, an accusation without evidence. The password as evidence of private creepiness lends credence to the accusations of harassment, and the accusation of harassment demonstrates the the creepiness was probably not just private. Together they create a case stronger than either alone.

mongol 7y ago

If he was fired for sexual harassment, that is one thing. But a naughty password on its own? That was maybe not the case here but that is what I have doubts about.

swampthinker 7y ago
And people wonder why tech has a massive issue with sexism...
- mongol 7y ago
  What does it have to do with tech? Everyone has passwords, and they are used all the time.
sterkekoffie 7y ago
What if it was violent, bigoted, or suicidal? Passwords are secret but they aren't necessarily private. If you wouldn't want to verbally verify it with your administrator you probably shouldn't use it.
- mongol 7y ago
  I have seen many password policies that says that you never should disclose your password. I have never seen a password policy say that it must not be naughty. As for violent or suicidal, I am less sure. I guess I would reason like a doctor, who has a patient's privacy to consider, but when certain lines are crossed he can contact the police if he think there is risk of crime.
  - sterkekoffie 7y ago
    Then I think our only difference in opinion is whether making sexually aggressive statements about your coworkers is crossing a line or just "naughty."
    - mongol 7y ago
      The difference is maybe that I don't see a password as a statement. There is no intent to let anyone know it. The only purpose it serves is to be difficult to guess / crack and easy to remember.
    - AlexTWithBeard 7y ago
      It depends on whether the statement is public or private. Otherwise we're getting dangerously close to thoughtcrimes.
jedberg 7y ago
He was fired for sexual harassment.

reedwolf 7y ago

>he was fired for the sexual harassment of a coworker OP is vague on what this guy actually did. Note that they only went to the girl after cracking the password, and she said he was "creepy" towards her. "Creepy" in this context might just mean FWU (flirting while ugly).

CydeWeys 7y ago
If he got fired for it, it was probably bad. And you shouldn't be flirting at work.
tbabb 7y ago
I think it's very interesting how, despite knowing nearly nothing about the situation, everyone here is quick to doubt the victim, and make up scenarios (for which there is zero evidence) where the harasser is the victim.
- bcatanzaro 7y ago
  For all its flaws, innocent until proven guilty is still the fairest justice system. Beyond a reasonable doubt is a high standard of proof. Because we use this standard, it is natural for people to look for reasonable doubts when talking about accusations. That is how western society works. And for very good reasons.
  - Falling3 7y ago
    > innocent until proven guilty is still the fairest justice system Justice system administered by a state where the repercussions include imprisonment and death - absolutely. But HR is not a judicial system and should not be viewed as one. I think I take your point to be just a descriptive observation of "our social discussion reflects a habit based on our exposure to judicial systems" and not a normative statement. Even if it's the former, I think it's naive and ignores a very real culture of doubt and victim-blaming exclusive to sexual violence.
    - kps 7y ago

astine 7y ago

I think that it's the conjunction of the password and the harassment accusation together that make this a fairly straightforward case. If it were just a creepy password, well, that demonstrates a certain level of creepiness but doesn't mean that he made it a problem for anyone else. It's possible to have private fantasies that remain private. On the other hand, if it was just the coworker's accusation, it would be just that, an accusation without evidence. The password as evidence of private creepiness lends credence to the accusations of harassment, and the accusation of harassment demonstrates the the creepiness was probably not just private. Together they create a case stronger than either alone.