Electronic commerce (E-Commerce), like the Internet itself, has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. E-commerce has, until recently, been almost exclusively a self-regulated industry with little or no governmental intervention. In recent years, however, the government has shown increasing influence in the world of online business. Online privacy, online security, and the so called "net neutrality" are just some of the subjects of legislative scrutiny.
Employers in the Internet age are impacted by the increased governmental presence as well as by the Internet itself. Most employees now have access to a relatively unregulated digital domain on their computers where they can access content that is inappropriate for the work environment or that distracts them from their jobs. The ease and seeming sterility of email can lead to misunderstandings and result in legal claims, such as claims for harassment. Communications by email and text messages have replaced memos, letters, telephone conversations, and even in-person conversations. Employees may, inadvertently or purposely, disclose internal company business or confidential matters on blogs and social media. Internet access presents the risk of copyright and trademark infringement claims and litigation against an employer. With these issues in mind, this chapter will address some of the most serious and pressing...
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