Does this breach a privacy law?

[Typhoon-]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New York.
Second time this has happened now, and she admitted to it even. I am 18 years old, almost finished with high school, still living with my mom, and just recently got my first job in IT field. The first time this happened, she was using my laptop, the only computer compatible with our printer, to print. She went to gmail, knowing that i have a gmail account, and knowing it would be logged in. Instead of going to the google page and logging out, she went straight to gmail, and proceeded to look through my inbox. I know this, because she called me downstairs to question me on what was in there. She then proceeded to, while i watched, log into my second email address, and go through that one as well, including conversations with other people.

Now, yesterday, she started talking to me about things she could only know if she had gone through my Skype messages. Which she then carelessly admitted to, and claims i can't do anything about it because it's 'Her house'. She further claims that she is immune from any legal action, because she is financially responsible for me until i am 21 - despite nothing related to my finances in anything that she read on my Skype or in my emails.

Isn't their some sort of law on privacy against this?

 

[Zigner]

Oh brother - don't leave your accounts logged in and that problem is solved.

Beyond that - move on out if you don't like it.

 

[Typhoon-]

Logged in or not, isn't it still illegal to go through people's email? Without their permission? While i was telling her to stop?
And my Skype, unlike gmail, does not save its password.

I've had a job for little over a month and am still finishing high school, money is kind of required for that.

 

[Zigner]

Logged in or not, isn't it still illegal to go through people's email? Without their permission? While i was telling her to stop?
And my Skype, unlike gmail, does not save its password.

I've had a job for little over a month and am still finishing high school, money is kind of required for that.

Then PW protect your entire laptop.

 

[Typhoon-]

Then PW protect your entire laptop.

I'm studying for a CompTia A+ Certification, i'm a near certified computer tech. It has a password. She also has a boyfriend who isn't exactly stupid with computers.

 

[Zigner]

I'm studying for a CompTia A+ Certification, i'm a near certified computer tech. It has a password. She also has a boyfriend who isn't exactly stupid with computers.

...yet nobody has been able to set up the other computers in the house to be able to print?

Set up a guest user account if you are going to loan the machine out.

 

[Silverplum]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New York.
Second time this has happened now, and she admitted to it even. I am 18 years old, almost finished with high school, still living with my mom, and just recently got my first job in IT field. The first time this happened, she was using my laptop, the only computer compatible with our printer, to print. She went to gmail, knowing that i have a gmail account, and knowing it would be logged in. Instead of going to the google page and logging out, she went straight to gmail, and proceeded to look through my inbox. I know this, because she called me downstairs to question me on what was in there. She then proceeded to, while i watched, log into my second email address, and go through that one as well, including conversations with other people.

Now, yesterday, she started talking to me about things she could only know if she had gone through my Skype messages. Which she then carelessly admitted to, and claims i can't do anything about it because it's 'Her house'. She further claims that she is immune from any legal action, because she is financially responsible for me until i am 21 - despite nothing related to my finances in anything that she read on my Skype or in my emails.

Isn't their some sort of law on privacy against this?

So you wanna sue your Mommy while you live in her house and eat her food and use her water and electricity?

 

[quincy]

Here is a link to the New York Penal Code, Article 156, which deals with Offenses Involving Computers; Definition of Terms:
http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/nycode/PEN/THREE/J/156

There really is no excuse, especially for those who know a lot about computers, to not take the necessary security measures to protect computer data from access by others. The simplest (and rather brainless) protection is to safeguard your password and log off your computer after each use.

 

[Ladyback1]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New York.
Second time this has happened now, and she admitted to it even. I am 18 years old, almost finished with high school, still living with my mom, and just recently got my first job in IT field. The first time this happened, she was using my laptop, the only computer compatible with our printer, to print. She went to gmail, knowing that i have a gmail account, and knowing it would be logged in. Instead of going to the google page and logging out, she went straight to gmail, and proceeded to look through my inbox. I know this, because she called me downstairs to question me on what was in there. She then proceeded to, while i watched, log into my second email address, and go through that one as well, including conversations with other people.

Now, yesterday, she started talking to me about things she could only know if she had gone through my Skype messages. Which she then carelessly admitted to, and claims i can't do anything about it because it's 'Her house'. She further claims that she is immune from any legal action, because she is financially responsible for me until i am 21 - despite nothing related to my finances in anything that she read on my Skype or in my emails.

Isn't their some sort of law on privacy against this?

Move out---then you won't have this issue.

Ya live in her house, it is a shared computer, and if you (who is in the "IT FIELD") are too stupid to know to lock down your accounts--I have no sympathy for you!

 

[RRevak]

I'm sorry I just have to throw this one in. You might be considering the wrong field of work if you are supposedly "a near certified computer tech" that can't keep out a boyfriend who is just "isn't exactly stupid with computers". At this point you really really should know how to protect your own computer better. After all you either are, or are going to be, trusted to do the same to others computers.