Your question sets wide parameters. I am left to assume that this intrusion will be done in subterfuge, without the esteem of the user. If the end user (the email account holder) has a spouse (whose permission would be granted regardless, one would assume) it would be more lawful, but not particularly respectful of privacy. Mitigating circumstances--including national security threats, conspiracy, theft, and all felonies--are aplenty, and would require a police inquiry. I am going off on a tangent, but assuming that you read your husband's email and learned of an affair, you would in all respects have the right to divorce. Especially if the husband left his email account logged on, in your living space, with the email wide open. (If your husband does not declare his email entirely private, then it _should_ be palatable.) If you would like further of an answer, feel free to privately message me. WJM

No. if it were illegal, my wife would have had me arrested years ago.

In Canada, it is usually treated as an illegal act, under current privacy legislation. There are exemptions, such as an employer monitoring the content of e-mails and external IP addresses that employees are in communication with. This is done for both corporate security and for monitoring activities that violate the law or any rules the employer has set on computer use (e.g., downloading pornography, downloading music files on which copyright fees have not been paid, running a personal business from work). E-mail traffic can be monitored for this purpose, but the manner in which the contents of the e-mail are disseminated must adhere to privacy legislation. A copy of the e-mail can be provided to the individual's superior, who can present it to the employee or use it in a disciplinary action. On the other hand, posting it on the bulletin board would be a violation of the individual's privacy. These restrictions can include reading someone's e-mail, if their computer is left unattended. An individual could use this as an excuse to prevent their partner from reading their e-mail, but I think that would pretty much signal an end to the relationship in most cases. However, if one person insists on this to protect their partner from reprisals, it might not be a bad idea (e.g., a reporter investigating a criminal organization). ------------------------------------------------------------ Re: "Please provide links w/your objective statements. No one knows how accurate your info. is otherwise" Federal privacy legislation can be found at: http://www.privcom.gc.ca/legislation/index_e.asp Supreme Court of Canada rulings on privacy can be found at: http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/en/index.html [However, I don't really think this rating and comment have anything to do with objectivity.]

Yes. It's a felony offense and an absolute invasion of privacy.

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It is illegal to do that because that involves logging into someone's account, and that is an invasion of privacy.

i hope not cause ive done it by accident thinking the mail is mine and then looking at the address only to find out it was my next door neighbors mail, so i had to explain to him why i opened it by accident

Yes,it is.