Editing Instant messaging (section)

=== Compliance risks ===
In addition to the malicious code threat, using instant messaging at work creates a risk of non-compliance with laws and regulations governing electronic communications in businesses. In the United States alone, there are over 10,000 laws and regulations related to electronic messaging and records retention.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid5_gci906152,00.html|title=ESG compliance report excerpt, Part 1: Introduction|access-date=May 13, 2007|archive-date=July 16, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716003433/http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/tip/ESG-compliance-report-excerpt-Part-1-Introduction|url-status=dead}}</ref> The better-known of these include the [[Sarbanes–Oxley Act]], [[Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act|HIPAA]], and SEC 17a-3.

Clarification from the [[Financial Industry Regulatory Authority]] (FINRA) was issued to member firms in the financial services industry in December 2007, noting that "electronic communications", "email", and "electronic correspondence" may be used interchangeably and can include such forms of electronic messaging as ''instant messaging'' and [[text messaging]].<ref>FINRA, Regulatory Notice 07-59, Supervision of Electronic Communications, December 2007</ref> Changes to [[Federal Rules of Civil Procedure]], effective December 1, 2006, created a new category for electronic records which may be requested during [[discovery (law)|discovery]] in legal proceedings.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

Most nations also regulate electronic messaging and records retention similarly to the United States. The most common regulations related to IM at work involve producing archived business communications to satisfy government or judicial requests under law. Many instant messaging communications fall into the category of business communications that must be archived and retrievable.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}