Another work issue
Posted by: Fisbey on 03 November 2004
A while back I was asked to install some info on a 'colleagues' computer. On doing this I found (on checking my installation) several of MY personal letters (very personal in fact) on HIS computer that had been downloaded via the neghbourhood network. I was angry to start with then just plain upset, then I complained to the management. The other person denied any knowledge of it all and no action was taken. I was told (quite rightly I suppose) not to have personal letters on file at work.
This still leaves a bad taste in my mouth the fact that I had letters to my father and to my ex in a file marked personal on my computer and some bastard hacked into it and had a good old rummage.
I feel violated.
This still leaves a bad taste in my mouth the fact that I had letters to my father and to my ex in a file marked personal on my computer and some bastard hacked into it and had a good old rummage.
I feel violated.
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by Deane F
My sympathies FWIW. Invasion of privacy is a terrible thing to discover.
Apportioning blame is no good to you in this situation because the damage is done. I hope this thread doesn't contain, "well, you should have known better Fisbey" (because you probably know better now).
Maybe put on some angry music and ruminate?
Kind regards
Deane
Apportioning blame is no good to you in this situation because the damage is done. I hope this thread doesn't contain, "well, you should have known better Fisbey" (because you probably know better now).
Maybe put on some angry music and ruminate?
Kind regards
Deane
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by Fisbey
I don't do personal stuff at work any more.....
What really gets me is that it's almost become the accepted norm her to invade peoples privacy. It's a small company (35 of us) and everybody wants to know everybody elses business, and then gossip about it, spread rumours etc.
I'd much rather talk about music, gardens, films, hi fi anything but other peoples stuff.
(even talk about work...)
It does really get me down - but it pays quite well and I like my work, just not the politics and the atmosphere....
What really gets me is that it's almost become the accepted norm her to invade peoples privacy. It's a small company (35 of us) and everybody wants to know everybody elses business, and then gossip about it, spread rumours etc.
I'd much rather talk about music, gardens, films, hi fi anything but other peoples stuff.
(even talk about work...)
It does really get me down - but it pays quite well and I like my work, just not the politics and the atmosphere....
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by jlfrs
I do empathise with you Fisbey - whilst the company's position is strictly correct when asked for a formal "position" on this, the real issue IMO is that your colleague has violated your privacy.
I was surprised to learn that at my workplace, certain employee EMail was read and stored by the M.D's P.A. I only found this out from a lad in the I.T department who mentioned to me that I ought to be careful as "Big Brother is watching".
I don't know where the law stands on this but I think that writing from a personal standpoint, I'd delete anything I didn't want anyone else to see, having taken a print out of it first and stored it in a file for safekeeping.
I wonder what your colleague would say if you asked him if he thought it o.k to go to your desk and read what documents you had in your files.
IMO, electronic documents do not appear to be regarded in the same way as paper docs from a privacy perspective and certainly, it is easier for people to "snoop" on their colleagues.
Having said that, I think it somewhat sinister that your colleague has spent his worktime engaged in this sort of activity and the questions have to be asked "why has he looked into your personal material and who else in the company has he done the same to?"
I wonder how your colleagues would feel if they knew what he'd done?
I was surprised to learn that at my workplace, certain employee EMail was read and stored by the M.D's P.A. I only found this out from a lad in the I.T department who mentioned to me that I ought to be careful as "Big Brother is watching".
I don't know where the law stands on this but I think that writing from a personal standpoint, I'd delete anything I didn't want anyone else to see, having taken a print out of it first and stored it in a file for safekeeping.
I wonder what your colleague would say if you asked him if he thought it o.k to go to your desk and read what documents you had in your files.
IMO, electronic documents do not appear to be regarded in the same way as paper docs from a privacy perspective and certainly, it is easier for people to "snoop" on their colleagues.
Having said that, I think it somewhat sinister that your colleague has spent his worktime engaged in this sort of activity and the questions have to be asked "why has he looked into your personal material and who else in the company has he done the same to?"
I wonder how your colleagues would feel if they knew what he'd done?
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by Derek Wright
To fully understand what is done, can be done, read the BOFH stories on The Register web site
After reading those you will not want to even use a company computer. <g>
My problem (when I was working) was the amount of work stuff cluttering up my home machine.
The home machine being faster, more storage space and was connected to a better printer than the employer supplied computer
Derek
<< >>
After reading those you will not want to even use a company computer. <g>
My problem (when I was working) was the amount of work stuff cluttering up my home machine.
The home machine being faster, more storage space and was connected to a better printer than the employer supplied computer
Derek
<< >>
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by oldie
I'm not really sure if this is relevant or not in this situation,but when I was still at the Uni of Brighton, the Computer Support Dept."had access" to all the e-mails and some how watched over all of the web browsing I think they had some kind of software that alerted them to miss use of websites, as there were one or two people that were very suprised when confronted with information on some rather dubious sites they had visited.It didn't bother me at the time as I was ,and still am, computer illiterate.Thinking about it now though, it is a intrusion into ones liberty, as, as far as I can remember, but I may well be very wrong, there were no warnings about monitering e-mails or website [ of the dubious kind]browsing.
If its electronic treat it as though everbody can see it and then you can't go wrong.
It was a despicable act carried out on you Fisby, and he is certainly not a Colleague.
oldie.
If its electronic treat it as though everbody can see it and then you can't go wrong.
It was a despicable act carried out on you Fisby, and he is certainly not a Colleague.
oldie.
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by HTK
This is usually implicit in the AUP. By setting rules of conduct the implication is that you can be audited, locally or remotely. Can't understand how someone had Frisbey's personal shit on their HDD and didn't get at least cautioned. Someone like that is a corporate liability waiting to happen. Still, who am I to say....
Cheers
Harry
Cheers
Harry
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by Roy T
It is best to assume that everything created or amended while at work will be stored and examined by others and if needs be may well be the subject of legal proceedings. Such software is often required so that a company or person may prove their innocience when threatened with court action and is one of the overhead associated with the compliance function requied by the FSA and other bodies.
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by Bhoyo
So are using this forum while at work? Employers can and do monitor all online activity.
Davie
Davie
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by MichaelC
quote:
Originally posted by oldie:
Thinking about it now though, it is a intrusion into ones liberty, as, as far as I can remember, but I may well be very wrong, there were no warnings about monitering e-mails or website [ of the dubious kind]browsing.
Oldie
The employers perspective. I will not tolerate ANY member of staff using my IT systems to browse porn. Gross misconduct. Full stop. Don't get me wrong - I do not mind my staff using the internet to book their holidays etc etc. They are sensible enough and I trust them enough - but having said that you cannot be to careful.
Why - I am not exactly computer literate but there are bad things out there. Notwithstanding the whole issue surrounding the wrongs and rights of browsing for porn during business hours and using my equipment, what about the likelihood of viruses etc etc.
As to the use of email - I want to know what is being sent out. I don't have a problem with people using email for personal purposes BUT I do have a problem if such emails use foul and/or abusive language or contain inflammatory and/or racist remarks or contain statements which could come back to haunt my partners and I.
Do I actually monitor the emails or the use of the internet - no.
Mike
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by oldie
Mike,
May be I didn't put it very well, I just think, that for want of a better word snooping on people in general whether its by electronic means or as used to happen when I first started work by looking under toilet doors to see if employees were reading news papers is a intrusion into ones liberty it matters not to me if it's a so called colleague as in Frisby's case or employer as in the uni of Brighton. If they intended to moniter, in my opinion for what it's worth. Those people they intend monitering, should in the first instance be warned this would/could happen, and I'm fairly sure at the Uni, people were not given this information, as It would have been one of my responsibilities as a manager to have carried this out, and I was never asked to do this.That said the viewing of dubious web sites at the place of work is a practice that should not be condoned for obvious reasons,its interesting to note though, that all of those that were caught, were in general Managers, in cluding one who was manager of the Computer support dept, I supose they all thought that because of their positions they were safe and not being monitered. Arn't folk strange.
The one[ well more that one actually] thing that was not tolerated was racest.sexist or abusive e-mails, letters or comments
oldie
May be I didn't put it very well, I just think, that for want of a better word snooping on people in general whether its by electronic means or as used to happen when I first started work by looking under toilet doors to see if employees were reading news papers is a intrusion into ones liberty it matters not to me if it's a so called colleague as in Frisby's case or employer as in the uni of Brighton. If they intended to moniter, in my opinion for what it's worth. Those people they intend monitering, should in the first instance be warned this would/could happen, and I'm fairly sure at the Uni, people were not given this information, as It would have been one of my responsibilities as a manager to have carried this out, and I was never asked to do this.That said the viewing of dubious web sites at the place of work is a practice that should not be condoned for obvious reasons,its interesting to note though, that all of those that were caught, were in general Managers, in cluding one who was manager of the Computer support dept, I supose they all thought that because of their positions they were safe and not being monitered. Arn't folk strange.
The one[ well more that one actually] thing that was not tolerated was racest.sexist or abusive e-mails, letters or comments
oldie
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by MichaelC
Oldie
You are absolutely right when it comes to warning all staff that internet/email use is monitored.
Mike
You are absolutely right when it comes to warning all staff that internet/email use is monitored.
Mike
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by Geoff P
I'm not saying it is pleaseant but I think people just have to accept the sort of intrusion we are talking about here will occur and plan around it by not using their work resources for personal requirements beit files, e-mails or web browsing, unless the company they work for has a clearly spelled out policy on this.
When I worked in a US compoany in Silicon Valley it was obssesive.One of my work colleagues made the maistake of using his work e-mail address for some communications with a recruitment agency when he was actively approached by a competitor to leave and go work for them because of his specialist knowledge.
He did just that. The first employer took him to court for using their resources to find himself another job and sued him for loss of reveneue and slapped a ban on him being allowed to use his specialist knowledge for the benefit of his new employer for 12 months. There main evidence was copies of his e-mails which he had deleted from his mail box before he left, but alas too late since they automatically kept a hidden copy of all e-mails for a certain period of time.
They won!!!
"Just trying to make a NAIM for myself"
When I worked in a US compoany in Silicon Valley it was obssesive.One of my work colleagues made the maistake of using his work e-mail address for some communications with a recruitment agency when he was actively approached by a competitor to leave and go work for them because of his specialist knowledge.
He did just that. The first employer took him to court for using their resources to find himself another job and sued him for loss of reveneue and slapped a ban on him being allowed to use his specialist knowledge for the benefit of his new employer for 12 months. There main evidence was copies of his e-mails which he had deleted from his mail box before he left, but alas too late since they automatically kept a hidden copy of all e-mails for a certain period of time.
They won!!!
"Just trying to make a NAIM for myself"
Posted on: 03 November 2004 by Bob McC
Surely employers have a responsibility to monitor their workforce's use of the www and e-mail to protect themselves.
I have to say that in my opinion it is very naive to think that your work place computer is private. If you've got stuff you don't want people to see keep it at home.
Bob
I have to say that in my opinion it is very naive to think that your work place computer is private. If you've got stuff you don't want people to see keep it at home.
Bob
Posted on: 04 November 2004 by Derek Wright
Monitoring email on the company system is no different from monitoring company telephone use to ensure that the equipment is being used for legitimate business purposes.
Strictly speaking the use of company equipment for private communication is an abuse of company assets and is stealing.
The employer may allow some use as a perq or special priviledge.
Derek
<< >>
Strictly speaking the use of company equipment for private communication is an abuse of company assets and is stealing.
The employer may allow some use as a perq or special priviledge.
Derek
<< >>