Copying email to another user

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Hi folks,

I've decided it's about time to introduce my nine year old daughter to the world of email. I've got her an account at our ISP, and I have set it up so:

  1. It's pulled down from the ISP by fetchmail;
  2. It's filtered for spam;
  3. It's delivered to my inbox, where I filter it for spam and perverts;
  4. I bounce it on to her (I've set her up to use KMail)

The idea is that I want to be able to teach her to use the technology properly and safely. The very little email she currently receives comes directly to my account, but I think it's time for her to get a little more independence. This method allows me to protect her from any spam that gets through and potential predators until she's more able to do this for herself.

Anyway, I want to be able to keep an eye on what she's sending out as well. I think it's important to be able to see what sort of information she's giving out. KMail adds her full email address to the message and passes it on to exim for sending into the world. This makes things really tidy, except it gives me no way of seeing what she's sending. I could probably set KMail up to bcc: me in on everything she sends, but I want to encourage her to play around with the preferences and settings, and I don't want her to break my set up.)

Does anyone know how I can configure exim to copy me in on whatever she's sending?

(IN CASE YOU WERE THINKING: Yes, I am aware that she could circumvent this whole setup. Apart from the potential holes in my system there's nothing stopping her from getting herself a secret gmail account. She's not there yet -- I give her twelve months before she gets to the 'Hey! Dad's so dumb he doesn't even realise...' stage. When she does get there I'd like to think I taught her something about online safety!)

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Copying email to another

Oh, I didn't know ASIO looks to this site for information...

And the answer is: yes, you can control everything. Even with a 'secret gmail account' you can at least intercept all communications (even if you have no opportunity to filter it). You just need a lot of spare time and a gateway machine between your modem and all other computers in the house. Of course that doesn't stop her from using gmail from school etc.

To get all mail cleared through you, have the mail go to your own relay where it is diverted to you for censorship but can be relayed when you're happy with it. Likewise, all incoming mail should go to an account for approval and forwarding, and having it pass through a mail relay which you control means that you can remove some signs of being tampered (but I don't see you spending all the time checking all the timestamps and one day she'll wonder why her email only arrivers after 19:00 but her friends get their mail at any time). The mail should NOT go to your account; it should be diverted to a mailbox set up for your purposes.

Now how good a spy are you? Can you read all those things she may write about her horrible parents and not blow your cover by talking about things you wouldn't know about unless you were reading her mail or her diary?

Copying email to another

I've been wondering who's been supplying all those zorkmids, pinniped. I think we've found our mole.

Anyway, I don't think I'll worry about what's she's sending out. She's not the sort of kid who'd give out private information easily --- the whole 'stranger danger' thing at school gave her the willies in a big way! If I do have any concerns I can look through her 'Sent' directory (and the logs will show if anything's been sent but not filed in 'Sent'!)

She's fully aware that I'm monitoring her email. She's pretty happy, because she's one of the first in her class to get their own accounts. Funny thing about this town --- kids have this strange habit of going outside and playing when they should be inside learning to speak IM.

Once she proves she can use the account responsibly, I'll let her have it to herself. As it is I can whitelist our circle of friends and family without any hassle.

I can't imagine her figuring out how to crack the system, and to be honest I'd be pleased as punch if she tried! She's just not that sort of kid. And I'm pretty sure she won't have any friends who could crack a GNU system as it is.

As for the horrible things she's been saying about her parents... what have you heard?

--
A tidy house is the sign of a stolen computer.

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