What was determined in the City of Ontario v. Quon case regarding text messages?

The ruling in the City of Ontario v. Quon case established that public employers can review employees' text messages under certain conditions, particularly when the employer has a legitimate interest in the communications being monitored. The court found that the search of Quon's text messages was reasonable because it was conducted for a legitimate work-related purpose and was not overly intrusive. This case highlighted the balance between an employee’s right to privacy and an employer’s need to maintain efficiency and manage resources appropriately.

The court emphasized that while employees have some privacy expectations in their communications, those expectations can be limited in a workplace setting, especially when the employer has a policy in place governing the use of communication devices. This ruling set a precedent for the conditions under which employers can access employees' text messages, thus clarifying the legal boundaries regarding workplace privacy and monitoring.