Digital communications, including emails, texts, and smartphone images, have the potential to completely ruin workers’ careers and reputations. A growing number of allegations of sexual harassment and workplace foul play have some kind of digital basis. Former University of Miami philosophy professor Colin McGinn’s career, for example, came to an abrupt halt when a 26-year-old student accused him of sending sexually explicit emails.
What Happened to Colin McGinn
Colin McGinn voluntarily resigned in the summer of 2013 before disciplinary hearings regarding sexual harassment allegations from a 26-year-old graduate student. The student claimed that McGinn sent her inappropriate emails and spoke too liberally and suggestively in person. McGinn may have further incriminated himself on his now-archived blog. “Some of Mr. McGinn’s posts — including one meditating on the difference between ‘suggesting’ an action and ‘entertaining’ it, and another (since removed) riffing on alternate meanings of a crude term for masturbation — have struck even some of Mr. McGinn’s onetime supporters as less philosophical than self-incriminating,” The New York Times reported.
Other former students and computer forensic investigators suggest the student voluntarily entered into a romantic or physical relationship with McGinn, and later accused him of harassment when the relationship staled. The exact details and circumstances of the case remain unclear.
Prepare Your Company For The Worst
Businesses and establishments (such as the University of Miami, in this particular case) want to avoid sexual harassment between workers, students, or patrons whenever possible. These things, however, have a way of cropping up. Consider hiring a professional, such as a computer forensic analyst, to review computer, laptop, and mobile phone evidence. Taking advantage of ediscovery solutions and document review services accomplishes a few things. First, if cases come up, a professional will be on-hand to carefully review emails and digital evidence to get to the bottom of it. Second, having analytic systems and software in place will discourage male and female employees from making false allegations.
If you are managing a company or establishment, you need to be prepared. Expect a considerable amount of employee concerns and reports to have digital roots and make adequate accommodations by hiring computer forensic investigators and/or installing digital review software. Get more on this here: www.cloudninediscovery.com
