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Monitoring Employees on
Networks:Unethical or
Good Business?
Summary
Businesses are often asked to make difficult decisions when deciding whether to “trust” employees or provide them
protections under well defined rules and guidelines. With well defined and
communicated processes in place, the employee should understand their
responsibilities in using company tools to perform company business only.
Risks of Monitoring Employees
• E-Mail• Employers can be liable for employees’ misuse
of company e-mail• Forms of harassment can be done by e-mail• Threats of violence via e-mail• Theft or unauthorized disclosure of company
information via e-mail• E-mail spreads viruses very well
Risks of Monitoring Employees
• Internet• Unauthorized access into for-pay sites• Harassment charges from display of
pornographic or obscene materials found on some sites
• Trademark and copyright infringement problems from improper use or dissemination of materials owned by an outside party
• Too much time wasted surfing the Web• Viruses in downloads of software and other
materials from Web sites
Risks of Monitoring Employees
• Company Computers• Software piracy-employees making
unauthorized copies of company-provided software
• Unauthorized access into company databases• Use of unauthorized software from home on
company computers• Sabotage of company files and records• Excessive time spent on computer games• Employees using company computers to
produce materials for their own personal businesses or private use
Policy IssuesBasic issues revolve around letting
employees know that as far as work is concerned, they have no expectation of
privacy in their use of company premises, facilities, or resources and they are subject to monitoring at all
times. Every employer needs to have a detailed policy regarding use of company computers and resources accessed with computers, such as e-mail, Internet, and
the company intranet, if one exists.
Costs to CompaniesAt least 25 percent of employee on-line
time is spent on nonwork-related surfing and 27 percent of large U.S.
companies are now monitoring employee e-mail in some way
compared to only 15 percent in 1997 • loss of time and employee productivity• availability of company’s network bandwidth • anything an employee does on the Web carries
the company’s name
Good Business?• Security of the infrastructure • Assist in the education of employees
ConclusionBy monitoring the employee use of company assets for personal use, the
employee is less prone to perform personal business on company time
and company equipment.