Question

Rob works for a federal governmental agency. No policy statements have been reported to the employees regarding their privacy rights or regarding their use of workplace computers for personal business. Rob's supervisor has reason to suspect that Rob has used his workplace computer to order an illegal substance. Which of the following is true?

a. Rob's employer may search Rob's computer at any time since it was provided by the employer.
b. Even if Rob's employer tries to search Rob's computer, if Rob has deleted any incriminating information, the employer will be able to find nothing on his computer to prove Rob was engaged in illegal activity.
c. The Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures by the government, but this amendment does not apply to computers.
d. If Rob has a legitimate expectation of privacy in the information on his computer, his employer would have to obtain a search warrant in order to conduct a search of the computer.

Answer 1

The correct option is d. If Rob has a legitimate expectation of privacy in the information on his computer, his employer would have to obtain a search warrant in order to conduct a search of the computer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct option is d. If Rob has a legitimate expectation of privacy in the information on his computer, his employer would have to obtain a search warrant in order to conduct a search of the computer.

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures. This applies to government officials, including Rob's employer, who is a federal governmental agency. If Rob has a legitimate expectation of privacy on his workplace computer, the employer must obtain a search warrant before conducting a search.

Without clear policy statements regarding privacy rights and the use of workplace computers for personal business, Rob may have a legitimate expectation of privacy. Therefore, his employer would need a search warrant to search Rob's computer.