[ModernMech]

> All I had to do was look somewhere other than where you were pointing, and I did that.

The way you phrase this makes it seem like accessing the documents was a mistake. Maybe the first one was, but I think the thing you are missing about the OP's story is that the behavior was repeated. I think the first instance was arguably okay. But subsequent access with the knowledge that what they were accessing was not intended for them is in my eyes beyond a mere misunderstanding.

You also have to remember that having physical or digital access to a thing is not the same as having permission to view the thing. For example, if a "Top Secret" document is delivered to your house with your name and address attached to it, if you read it without the appropriate clearance you will still be in trouble. The legality of such a thing is well established in that case, but the principle is the same: even though you have access to a thing and all you have to do is move your eyes in some direction to see it, the act of seeing it is still at minimum an ethical breach (why are you looking at things that you know don't belong to you?).

I guess this is the fundamental philosophical and ethical question: do you believe you are entitled to know any information as long as you have the technical ability to physically or digitally access that information? What if I have medical records on a screen in a room you are in, and all you have to do is move your eyes over to see my most personal info? Are you entitled to read that information because it's visible to you? Or do you think you owe it to others not breach their privacy even though you have the ability to do so? Would you be mad if someone violated your privacy, and then retorted with "well you should have a had implemented some better technology to prevent me from moving my eyes in that direction"? I guess in that scenario you would have to blame yourself and your technological abilities, and not the person violating your privacy.