Author missed point on cell phone use
As I was skimming through The Daily Athenaeum before class, I noticed an article concerning a United States Supreme Court case that dealt with an employer who received explicit text messages on a company-issued cell phone.
In the piece, the columnist speculated that, because a company provided and paid for an employee's cell phone, they had no right to "invade the privacy" of the employee's text message inbox.
I feel that the writer may have been a bit confused about the topic on which he was commenting. The beginning of the article stated that the controversy was over explicit text messages received on a company-issued cell phone.
He claimed that it was a "ridiculous concept" that company-issued cell phones be subjected to random searches, and that, while "not allowing personal e-mails to be sent from company e-mails is understandable," and that "cell phones are a completely different story."
Clearly, he is missing the point. A company-issued cell phone is company property, and companies do not give them to their employees so they may chat with their friends, let alone "sext" significant others.
Similarly, the rhetorical questions "do they (companies) really expect not to be used like any other cell phone as well," followed by, "are we really expected to buy another cell phone for personal use," have fairly obvious answers.
Yes. According to the writer, "most adults in the U.S. have a cell phone, and it has become the easiest and most common way to communicate," therefore insinuating most adults who receive a company cell phone already own one for personal usage.
Personal business should be dealt with off company time, and through the means of personal communication devices.
Technically, to send a personal message of any kind while on the clock is considered "time theft," and while it is not currently legally punishable by dismissal, it is highly disfavored by employers.
Use of a company cell phone in this way is completely inappropriate, disrespectful and altogether unprofessional.
So, rather than warning "anyone entering the workforce this summer" to "watch what you text," perhaps better advice to potential summer employees would be to simply use some common sense.
Save your personal business for personal time, and no one will be penalized.
Rachel Alvarez
Sophomore
Fashion design and merchandising
is a member of the 
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