Survelliance at work

[El Blanco]

OK, I'm a tech monkey. I do IT and I am hopefully about to start a new job. Part of that job will involve checking logs and stuff to monitor people's web habbits and may even include email monitoring. While, admitadly, I am a little uncomfortable with this idea (especially the latter), I think it is actually the company's right and even respinsibilty.

You are using company assets on company time when you're messing around on the net and such (I know stories of people actually running ebay stores out of the office and using the company's shipping to handle the orders).

Also, most people don't realize what a huge security risk is involved with this type of activity ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TURN OFF THE GODDAMNED FIREWALL (yes, idiots do that).


This isn't to say I want to work in a police state. I've read the shit where people are trying to make tracking devices to determine how long you are away from your desk and shit. Thats too far.



So, where is the line drawn? At what point are you no longer protecting your assests but invading your employees' privacy and vioilating their rights?

[Ant10708]

When you start monitoring their emails you are invading their privacy I'd say. Monitoring what sites they visit and their web habits should be enough to see if they are wasting working time on leisure. I don't think reading their emails is necessary to determine that. Or are we talking about an email address the company gave you for work purposes?

[ziggytrix]

Company email is company property, assuming it's stated in the policy. Best thing the IT department can do is make that very clear whenever they give out a new email address.