Finland approves e-mail tracking law.

• Position: E-MAIL

The Finnish Parliament approved a controversial law in March allowing employers to track workers' e-mails.

Lawmakers approved the government legislation--dubbed "Nokia's Law"--in a 96 to 56 vote. Forty-eight were absent or abstained.

The new law, which requires the president's approval, does not allow employers to read employees' e-mails. But it allows them to track workers' e-mails by retaining information about e-mails, including the recipients, senders, and the time when they were sent or received, the Associated Press reported. Employers also can see whether e-mails contain attachments. Previously, the law was unclear regarding whether these practices were allowed.

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If employers suspect a crime, they have to call police to investigate.

Employers' organizations have voiced their strong support for the law, saying it will help deter corporate espionage. Critics contend it infringes on employees' privacy.

"We must not be naive and imagine that corporate espionage does not happen here in Finland," Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said. "We must find ways of making that as difficult as possible."

The media named the law "Lex Nokia" (Latin for "Nokia's Law") after...