John Schapel

Adelaide, Australia

Comment enthusiast

Sending an e-mail could be regarded for all practical purposes as conducting a conversation. Even a commercial conversation as such is not subject to preservation and later retrieval, unless agreed to by both parties. Indeed, if it is so preserved by one party without the knowledge and consent of the other party, then this would likely constitute an offence. How, then can authorities argue that, when it suits THEM, a conversation between others ceases to be a conversation and instead becomes property of the authorities for their own convenience? To be consistent, they would have to require all conversations, no matter how conducted, to be indellibly preserved for all time! Unnatural, historically unique, and unenforceable.