Stuart is vying for a promotion, but faces competition from a co-worker, Brenda. Without authorization, Stuart accesses stored company records and discovers an unfavorable e-mail message Brenda had written about the company. Stuart sends the message to

his supervisor in hopes of keeping Brenda from getting the promotion. Discuss whether Stuart has violated any statute and, if so, what sanctions he may face.

Stuart violated the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. This is a federal statute prohibiting unauthorized interception or disclosure of wire and electronic communications or unauthorized access to stored communications. The Act applies to electronic communication from email, cell phones, and social media. Stuart may be subject to both criminal and civil penalties for violating the Act.