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E-mail, Instant Messaging and Voice-mail

By Christopher Kruse
March 17, 2005

Electronic communication has been a productivity boon in nearly every industry. E-mail, voice-mail, and the latest favorite, instant messaging (IM), enable workers to communicate at the pace and level of interaction they need. Unfortunately, the more digital messages workers exchange, the more risk companies face from electronic information that could prove damaging during litigation.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires auditors to retain all records relevant to an audit or review, and this includes “workpapers, documents that form the basis of an audit or review, memoranda, correspondence, communications, other documents, and records (including electronic records).” This clearly includes e-mail, and failure to properly maintain these records can result in jail time.

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