The New York Times has an article about the enhancements made in email surveillance due to the release of 1.5 million enron emails by the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Researchers are having a field day with the emails, studying communication circles, and patterns.

"They can monitor discussions without actually isolating individuals," Dr. Berry said. "They can assess morale. If they make a cut in salaries, how long does the unhappiness go on? You could track topics and get a sense of how people are responding to policies and flag potential hot spots." Or, he said, managers might be able to learn which people have too much time on their hands.

Via: since1968