Work Internet Monitor
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- nospacebar
Hi.
Our boss just implemented Internet monitoring software at our office, and tells us that anyone with significant non-work related internet traffic will be dealt with severly.
I guess I'm curious:
A. If this is frequent in the workplace?
B. Any way around it?
C. For a new media designer, is NT work-related?.j
- mrming0
That's harsh mate - do you work in a design company? The net is a great source of inspiration for me as a designer. I always think that companies who have to regulate their employees in a heavy-handed way have got problems. If you enjoy your job you should be responsible for being efficient in your output.
- thosethat0
NT is work related...
everything else comes second...
- mrdobolina0
show it to your boss.
- nospacebar0
Boss doesn't want to talk about anything not work related...
- mitsu0
i can't stand people like that...
do you know how the monitoring software works? do you know the name of it, or have a link?
- sp0
On the one hand, that IS why you are there...work. It is hard to justify sitting around chatting about bullshit on a website all day...when you should be working.
"Inspiration" is a poor excuse in my opinion. I know plenty of people who never visit the web for 'inspiration' and they keep producing design after design every day. Our company produces six magazines. There isn't much time for a graphic designer to play around on the web - since there are only two in the entire company. They don't seem to have any problems.
On the other hand, it is pretty underhanded of an employer not to trust his staff.
I for one could care less either way. Sometimes I'm swamped and don't surf at all, other times I've got some open time and I visit some sites.
- sp0
What really bothers me is the Email scanning/reading/monitoring software some companies put into place.
Looking at what sites your employee's visit is one thing, but reading their private email is another.
It is an evasion of privacy.
- sp0
ahem - "invasion"
- phaln0
Check slashdot - they just posted a story about this very issue.
- monokrom0
If it's really inspiration you're after, bring some magazines or design / typogr annuals to work and keep them at your desk, bring some slick cd-rom's from home, etc.
W/re to employers reading your private email ... why would you be checking personal email from work anyway? Unless you're an international man of mystery, there's likely nothing in there that can't wait until you get home. Anyone who would need to get in touch with you in an actual emergency can call your office.
While it definitely sucks that your employers don't trust their staff, judging by your interest in circumventing the monitoring, it sounds as though their concerns may be justified.
- vena0
re slashdot story, here's the link:
- nospacebar0
Well, as far as I'm concerned, they give me work, I do work. I finish work on time, they should be happy.
Regardless of that, I've successfully found a way to tunnel out due to help from one of our programmers.
So, instead of a burden, this has turned into an advantage for me. Now, to my boss, it will appear that I am ultra-efficient.
.j
- unknown0
Sounds like you did what I did. Made friends with the IT and have small yet annoying restrictions lifted.
bB
- ribit0
I don't see how they could legitemately restrict your web usage just by looking at URL's... I could easily justify visiting just about any website for reference/inspiration/research of some kind... how on earth are they going to decide what's legitimate...
- BonSeff0
i have a lousy filter at work. half the links posted here wont come up cause the filter deems them "tasteless" HA! I'd love to meet the person that decides what is and is not tasteless. im sure he a real charmer.
- nospacebar0
Verbatim:
- Viewing websites that are not work-related
- Instant messaging and web-based email that is not work-relatedThese activities put a strain on our internet connection, and impact productivity.
In the coming weeks I will be monitoring our Internet usage more closely for the following items:
- Applications being used to access the Internet across the company
- Internet destinations for traffic throughout the company
- Internet traffic by user (how much Internet traffic each employee is requesting over time)
- unknown0
Send your boss laods of cool links anoymously... get his stats right up there!
- ribit0
They don't say how they will decide what is work related.
You could use a mix of different browsers to confuse them
You could use anonymizer sites to prevent them seeing what sites you visit
etc