My email has a password doesn’t your’s ? ?

How can you know that he read them?

As I said, I lend my (second) laptop to my dad, the mozilla thunderbird on that is not password protected, as no one but me usually uses it and I had trusted my father not to go through my email. Of course now I will be password protecting everything!
I know that he has read some of my mails, because all of them should technically still be marked as being unread, even though I have read them on a different device. A quick look into my sent folder showed that those emails, that suddenly appeared to have been read, had been forwarded to my dads account at a time when I had no access to my laptop.

Well….can you straight up ask him about it? Also, what were the subject matter of the emails, especially the ones he forwarded to himself?

If you prefer to not address this with him at this stage, as you stated, then other than password protect your emails, I don’t understand what you want us to say.

Well,can you go into HIS account and delete the emails?

I don’t have advice about the conflict, but for the future – every user of a computer should have a separate logon and password. Then you’re not tripping over/spying on each other.

Since you’re an adult, I suggest that you just treat him like you would anybody else who invaded your privacy & have an open & honest discussion with him!!! I know you’re NOT looking for confrontation; however, IF you don’t call him on this one, he will just continue to check up on his “little girl”!!! He needs to understand that you don’t appreciate him invading your space & that you find it UNACCEPTABLE!!! It might not stop him, but it also might make him think twice before doing it again.

There are 2 other options…add a password protect to your emails on ALL your devices or the next time he’s having problems with his computer, don’t be so polite as to loan him yours!!!

If you are uncomfortable talking about the subject, you could forward one of the emails to him and say “your mail system” notified you that this, and others were sent to him. You do not need to detail how you know. In fact I would not mention how you know.
Follow up the email
Add at the end something like: “In the future please respect my privacy.”
Then drop it.
Add a password and two step login tied to your phone so you know if anyone attempts to log in.

I’m with him. ^

Depending on the importance of the subject and content of the emails I might or might not confront him about it. If it’s something embarassing then I’ll immediately snap at him. If it’s not then I’ll just ignore the issue as it won’t be consequential to my life.

I won’t be a hypocrite and blame him for his action. I know that I will be curious too to read somebody else’s emails but I will personally find a way to read in a way that won’t leave a trail, otherwise I won’t do it.