Strictly private & personal

Question

If a letter is marked strictly private and personal can the person who receives this letter, give information contined in this letter to a third party?

MountainHiker · Accepted Answer

Hi Guest,

What a person can do and should do are entirely different matters.

A person receiving a letter can do anything. You could say in the letter that should the contents of the letter be revealed to third parties, he or she is liable for any consequences.

Also, depending on the nature of the information and who received the information, there might be legal implications. For example, if you were a female teenager and had written your doctor to say that you feared that you were pregnant, the doctor would be breaking ethical and perhaps legal codes by informing your parents. So it all depends on the circumstances.

In reality, it is very poor form to provide information that was marked strictly private and personal. If there is the appropriate legalese attached to the letter, you might have legal recourse to any adverse consequences.

I hope this sheds some light on the topic.

MountainHiker

Sharonwlv · Answer

The reason to mark a letter with ' strictly private and confidential ' is for the receiver. i,e , only the addressed person can open this letter.

For example, if a secretary normally open letters for the boss, if there is a letter with 'strictly private and confidential' on it, then the secretary or any other person can not open this letter. Only one person, the boss ( the addressee) can open this letter.

As regard what the contents are or whether the boss can reveal this information to a third party is a different matter. What action he will take base on this letter is nothing to do with the ' strictly private and confidential' marking. He should deal with the letter as normal.

Nona the brit · Answer

You should also remember that there is no onus on a company to respect the marking 'Private and Confidential' on a letter. For example, at the company I work for, only 'P&C' letters for the Directors are passed on unopened. Other employees are not permitted private letters.

I do not think this is uncommon.

Strictly private & personal

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