Can your boss read your Slack conversations with your co-workers
What's the story
Slack is a popular, instant messaging portal that has features like channels/chat rooms and audio/video calls.
It is one of the best internal communication platforms that most workplaces around the world use to allow their employees to communicate with their co-workers.
However, the real question is - how private are the messages you send on Slack? Can your boss spy on you?
Messages
Not all that you share on Slack is safe
On Slack, you can communicate via a general channel (where people across departments are added), channels (where a limited number of people are added), or direct messages (one-on-one chats).
Channels can be both public and private, and their level of privacy depends on the admin.
Irrespective of anything, your boss can read through your conversations, so think before passing on that juicy office gossip!
Channels
How to know if your channel is private or public?
Not all channels on Slack are private.
Private channels don't show up in anyone's directory at your workplace (except for the participants) and only appear as a group under direct messages.
They have a lock symbol against their name, and all the messages you exchange with them are private by default.
To make your channel private, you can click on the "Make Private" option.
Privacy
Your private messages can be downloaded, exported into files
After 2018, Slack enabled corporations to read conversations happening in their private channels or on direct messages.
Even though your boss can't read the interaction between you and your colleague(s) while it is happening, the conversations can be downloaded and exported into ZIP files (JSON files) behind your back by following a few guidelines.
This doesn't necessarily mean they are snooping on gossip.
Downloading
Here's why your employer can check your Slack
According to Vox, "The company may have a duty to preserve and produce that information if you're part of a lawsuit."
It further stated, "The company may also want to do internal investigations, and through their privacy policies and acceptable use policies, have the right to look at your information."
For this, your employer has to submit a request to Slack.
Plan
For standard plans, employer must generate one-time request
If your organization uses a standard or free plan, your boss would need to submit a request to Slack for a one-time export of your private conversations.
Slack will only approve their request in three cases: if the employee has given consent, if it's required for legal proceedings, or if it's within the employer's right (based on the agreement between you and your organization).
How
For paid plans, employer can generate requests repeatedly
Even if your organization uses a paid version of Slack, it still has to submit a request to access your data.
However, they can do this over and over again, and that too without any additional approvals, unlike how it is with the standard or free plan.
The feature is called Corporate Export and is only for those with Plus and Enterprise Grid plans.
Third-party
Your organization may have integrated third-party software
Your company can access your data by integrating third-party software into Slack's API.
While all your messages are safe until everything is good, your boss can enable compliance exports and read everything you send from that particular time.
They can even see the messages you may send to a different organization on Slack via the Slack Connect option.
Bottom line
Bottom line: Slack is monitored by your organization
The crux of the matter is that your employer can read your messages by complying with Slack's guidelines.
And they can do this anytime, with or without your notice, depending on the severity of the case.
Hence, it is best to refrain from indulging in the grapevine when on Slack and keeping conversations strictly work-related.
Don't write what you don't want others to find.