Workplace wonderings: can my boss...

Group chat anxiety: Is your boss looking over your shoulder? ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ [Mozilla ] [❤️ Mozilla ❤️]( [Donate](8_WQ7DjgzC7/bmlRdUdmVnNub2dkL2huUm9GSXJDR3QzdlMyUHoxZzZrS1p3MWJrVGJRWWhqS0hocURvRVRwdGxEVXZwZTQxTkRmbk1nV1hhSVU0WENKY1Y5UGIvZ1RZWHg5VFZVNkoxcjkyQU9SeHcySmM9S0/) [Workplace Wonderings] Friend, "Can my boss read my private chat messages?" This is a question on the minds of many people working remotely and relying on workplace tools like Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. The short answer is: YES! Our Mozilla Foundation privacy researchers studied the major workplace messaging and video platforms so you can navigate the “new normal” of remote work life—and to put pressure on tech companies to make their products ‘private by default.’ Both are key to protecting us from harm that can arise from privacy invasions by employers. [Mozilla Heads] Want to do more? Support our researchers and campaigns to make the internet a healthier place for all. [Donate today]( Can my boss read my Slack messages? There’s a good chance your boss can get access to your Slack messages. Admins can export messages from public channels, but employers (on either Slack’s free or paid tier) need to submit a request to Slack before they can access your private chats. Your boss would have to prove to Slack that you permitted them, they have a valid legal reason to access the messages, or there’s a “right or requirement [to do so] under applicable laws,” notes a Vox article on the topic. Things get a bit more complicated if you work in certain parts of government or if your employer pays for a higher-level plan, where an employer would need to hold onto your messages and other information routinely. Third-party Slack apps like Hanzo let employers do so. How About Microsoft Teams chat? With your company’s admins or legal team, Microsoft can use its eDiscovery tool to dig up messages in Microsoft Teams, Skype, workers’ emails, and more. Like Slack, Teams allows employers to pull an eye-watering amount of data, with access to a chart that breaks down metrics like how many messages a user sends, how many audio and video calls they’re engaging in, how often they’re setting up meetings, and more. In case you felt like remote work life prevented your boss from looking over your shoulder, think again. And Then There’s Zoom… Generally, you shouldn’t worry about your employer dropping in on your private Zoom calls anytime soon, especially if you’re using a password. But! Remember that employers can access recorded Zoom calls and saved chats stored in the cloud. Also, when you save a Zoom chat session, the private messages get saved too. Use the private chat feature on Zoom with caution. So What Can You Do About It? The best protection: don’t put anything in your work chat you wouldn’t want top brass at your company finding out about. And if you’re curious about specific apps your company uses be sure to reference our [*Privacy not Included Guides on video call apps.]( But if you’re sick of workarounds and want a better, safer, privacy-respecting internet, [consider donating today!]( Your gift will fund our researchers and power our campaigns to make the internet a healthier place for all. Connect with us [Twitter]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Thanks for reading! You’re receiving this email because we think you’re neat, AND you subscribed to hear from us. If our emails aren’t sparking joy, we’ll understand if you [unsubscribe](. You can also [update your email preferences](Y0mDQa/bmlRdUdmVnNub2dkL2huUm9GSXJDR3QzdlMyUHoxZzZrS1p3MWJrVGJRWWhqS0hocURvRVRwdGxEVXZwZTQxTkRmbk1nV1hhSVU0WENKY1Y5UGIvZ1RZWHg5VFZVNkoxcjkyQU9SeHcySmM9S0/K0gwaXVSazNCUXpWcE96cjhLK00xVG5sQ010ZFppUE9WcVkvanNBN2crdC9ONHVpN3o4ZTNQOGxoREFDRklhWFVWVlRvMll2MDNZZkF1ZnRwOUFQQWc9PQS2) at any time. [❤️ Mozilla ❤️](WQ9WLqDSY/bmlRdUdmVnNub2dkL2huUm9GSXJDR3QzdlMyUHoxZzZrS1p3MWJrVGJRWWhqS0hocURvRVRwdGxEVXZwZTQxTkRmbk1nV1hhSVU0WENKY1Y5UGIvZ1RZWHg5VFZVNkoxcjkyQU9SeHcySmM9S0/) [Donate to Mozilla]( | [Download Firefox](9H49rqZBV/bmlRdUdmVnNub2dkL2huUm9GSXJDR3QzdlMyUHoxZzZrS1p3MWJrVGJRWWhqS0hocURvRVRwdGxEVXZwZTQxTkRmbk1nV1hhSVU0WENKY1Y5UGIvZ1RZWHg5VFZVNkoxcjkyQU9SeHcySmM9S0/) 2 Harrison St. #175, San Francisco, CA 94105 [Legal]( • [Privacy](dQL9kqpC3/bmlRdUdmVnNub2dkL2huUm9GSXJDR3QzdlMyUHoxZzZrS1p3MWJrVGJRWWhqS0hocURvRVRwdGxEVXZwZTQxTkRmbk1nV1hhSVU0WENKY1Y5UGIvZ1RZWHg5VFZVNkoxcjkyQU9SeHcySmM9S0/) [View in browser](