How do you feel about your employer monitoring your email and internet surfing?

LaFemme

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They buy my time from 8 - 5, so I really don't have any business surfing to questionable sites. My employer is fine with the odd personal email, but if it got excessive, I'd expect it to be brought to my attention.
 

nudeyorker

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When I'm working for someone I focus on the task at hand that I'm being paid for; everyone expects and accepts a few e-mails or phone calls but I try to keep all my personal life activities confined to my own time. If I was an employer I would expect everyone to do the same.
 
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deleted3782

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If it's their computer, they can spy if they want to.

My peronal phone/iPad/laptop/camera...is off limits, however.
 

Kotchanski

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I'm self employed, so I have to monitor all of my own email and internet surfing.

Some days, I'm really well behaved and just stick to doing my work, but there are times when I have to threaten to take away my tea breaks if I keep sneaking off to do other stuff.

When my husband started working for his current employer, he specifically asked the MD if he could rewrite all of their blocks and monitoring because his co-workers were persistently finding loopholes in the current setup and not getting on with their work (he's really popular!)

If I need to get hold of my husband in an emergency, I email the MD directly, he'd be the one making the decision about him coming home, and he checks his email more often than my husband does.

I've no problem with it. If the staff aren't taking the piss or being inappropriate in the first place, then it shouldn't bother any of them, and those that are, you get to fire sooner rather than later!
 

rbkwp

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Would be happy for them to do so, altho they would be told personal emails are a NO GO
ensure a commitment from them re this, incl a certain amount of time each day for me to check these
sure way of making me keep off certain sites ha
 

Pionex

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I am fine with my employeer being able to monitor my email and internet use. It's their time and money and they have the right to expect me to do my job and not be going on line while at work. There are enough of the ladies that constantly get on facebook that they need to crack down on. I do not see how they get any work done. These women are always commenting on how much work they need to get done. Well, get off the phone and facebook and maybe you could get some work done. My supervisor's cell is very, very active. Trying to carry on a conversation with her without her phone making noises is impossible. Either her husband, children or facebook are constantly causing her to look at her phone. She even plays games with other people online while she is at work. We have had numerous meetings and everyone is told to not be on their phones for personal business. They are told not to use the companies lines for their personal business either. I have answered the phone and I have been told that the person has called several times and they have received a recorded message that all lines are busy. That is because so many of the employees are on the phone talking to their friends or spouses. I would not want someone working for me to be on the phone or on facebook while I was paying them to work. I leave my phone off until I go on lunch and then I look at it if I feel the need. I am not going to let a phone rule my life. They have become the modern addiction as far as I am concerned. Most people can't even carry on a conversation anymore. They need to text someone instead of talking to them... Sad!!!
 

bonecrusher180

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I'm ok with my employer monitoring email and Internet surfing. At my job we have a certain period where we're allowed to surf. However,hardly anyone respects that time allowance.

There was a situation at my job , a few years ago, I wasn't working there at the time , but i've been told by colleagues that a woman got fired because she was watching porn on the job. Obviously , they waited to get a certain amount of evidence before firing her .

So ,it's only normal for an employer to have these policies since we're paid to do a job, not to surf on the web. That's my two cents.
 

tbrguy

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Check your contract of employment.

Maybe okay to use your employers computer/network for personal communications, and s/he may or may not reserve the right to monitor your usage.

In any case, what is or is not acceptable should be clearly explained when start a job.

If in doubt assume your usage will, or could, be monitored.

It's also worth finding out if you are expected to conform to any sort of policy regarding what you may or may not say on such things as facebook or twitter about your employer or his business - regardless of whether this is done using his equipment or not.
 

manju

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I'm glad I have an unlimited data plan on my mobile phone as I use it exclusively for my personal communication and web surfing. If you use your work computer to access your bank accounts and email and medical records - your employer now has access to everything you once thought as private - passwords and all - it's highly unsecure and there is no way I know you can tell when they are monitoring you. Ripe for abuse with all those that play office politics.
 

Serial Kisser

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I'm glad I have an unlimited data plan on my mobile phone as I use it exclusively for my personal communication and web surfing. If you use your work computer to access your bank accounts and email and medical records - your employer now has access to everything you once thought as private - passwords and all - it's highly unsecure and there is no way I know you can tell when they are monitoring you. Ripe for abuse with all those that play office politics.


But echoing what most people said in this thread, you should not be using your work computer for banking, medical purposes or personal email. Why even take the chance?
 

Krusader

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I'm glad I have an unlimited data plan on my mobile phone as I use it exclusively for my personal communication and web surfing. If you use your work computer to access your bank accounts and email and medical records - your employer now has access to everything you once thought as private - passwords and all - it's highly unsecure and there is no way I know you can tell when they are monitoring you. Ripe for abuse with all those that play office politics.

Agreed and as MC Hammer sang, you cant touch this
 
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I don't like the idea.

If they don't want certain sites visited, then limit access.
 

D_Fiona_Farvel

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Due to the nature of the industry, wherever I've worked the company has used extensive monitoring systems - video surveillance, all calls recorded, internet use, email and voicemail archived - which is, to varying degrees, their right. Accordingly, I do not mix my private and work lives. No personal phone calls, personal email (including no personal banter between work mates), or web surfing using company equipment. Like Pionex, no use of my mobile while working either.
 

dcsurvivor92

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I agree, they have the right to monitor it. It's their computers. While I do check amazon, facebook, and the like, I very rarely get personal phone calls. My co-worker, on the other hand, spends half of the day on personal phone calls and all day surfing the net. She is an administrative assistant/receptionist but it is very frustrating. My employer is aware of it.
 

Frodo46888

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I don't like the idea.

If they don't want certain sites visited, then limit access.

An employer shouldn't have to limit access. If he can't trust you to follow company policy, you shouldn't be working there. Almost everyone has their own personal devices to use for personal matters, and even that use should be limited to breaks and lunchtime.
 

ronin001

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My last job though there were thousands of employees, limited the sites you could access automatically via a filter. This kind of sucked but you could use it for anything aside from Adult and or Entertainment sites.

My present Employes also has thousands of Employees, but we have unlimited internet access. They presume that you have common sense as to where you should be on company time.

Yes I do Banking and most of my personal business there, I figure there is no way they are going to pick out one employee out of thousands. That and the fact that I am Simi-Jr. Senior management there are a few perks

My Blackberry is company issued, I use it for company E-mail and as I carry it 7 days a week including vacations, I have a lot of family interaction on it as well. Again compensation from being on duty technically 24/7.