My feelings are along this same line. It seems that this questions revolves around what the stated company policy is regarding usage of these company resources. As stated in several emails before, email and internet usage and the computers they are used are are company owned assets and should be managed as such. To me they are no different than any other company owned asset; vehicles, equipment, tools, facilites, telephones etc. There is a perceived idea that these tools are "free." The allowed usage and subsequent penalty for misuse should be covered by an enforceable company policy. If an adequate policy is in place, would it be any different to fire an employee for misuse of a company vehicle (personal deliveries and errands on company time for example) than for downloading porn?
I think it is time to examine what the stated policy is on this usage. Does anyone have a company policy for email/internet use that they would be willing to share? I believe ours needs some updating. Dan Spangenberg > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of David Stavert > Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 10:50 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: Re[2]: DSN:Re: Re[2]: [Declude.JunkMail] A Question of > Ethics > > > In a corporate setting a company may or may not have an > Internet/email/conduct policy. If not, it may be very dificult to fire > someone for conduct that they didn't agree to abide by and if it came to > a lawsuit they would probably loose. In fact the company could loose > twice. Once by someone who was offended by a fellow employees use of > porn at the workplace and second by a wrongful termination suit by the > offender. Many companies just added the Internet and email to the system > without considering the concequences. Time to examine the company > policies. > > David > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Keith Purtell > > Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 9:34 AM > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: RE: Re[2]: DSN:Re: Re[2]: [Declude.JunkMail] A > > Question of Ethics > > > > > > The term "spyware" refers to software whose sole purpose is > > to surreptitiously gather and transmit information about a > > user. A firewall log is a neutral record of general internet > > activity. Any reasonably informed adult who uses the internet > > should understand their actions may be logged, in the same > > way they understand a policeman might be watching them when > > they drive their car down a road. Certain parts of our daily > > activities are observed; that's a facet of urban life. What > > matters is whether the prior intent of the observation is hostile. > > > > Keith Purtell, Web/Network Administrator > > VantageMed Operations (Kansas City) > > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email message, including any > > attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) > > and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any > > unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is > > prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please > > contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of > > the original message. > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Darrell L. > > > Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 8:33 AM > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Subject: RE: Re[2]: DSN:Re: Re[2]: [Declude.JunkMail] A Question of > > > Ethics > > > > > > > > > I suppose you can say that any monitoring tool or piece of software > > > could be spyware. I know in several instances where > > employee's were > > > let go or suspended due to inappropriate activity were > > based solely on > > > the analysis of firewall logs that record all internet > > activity. In > > > our Computer Security Policy we do not specifically say that the > > > firewall is > > > logging everyone's internet surfing activities. However in > > > the computer > > > security document it is spelled out that they are using company > > > equipment and the company reserves the right to monitor any and all > > > activity. > > > > > > Would you say in this instance that the tools (firewall > > logging) used > > > would be classified as "spyware"? > > > > > > Darrell > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- > > [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus] > > > > --- > > [This E-mail was scanned for viruses by Declude Virus > (http://www.declude.com)] > > --- > This E-mail came from the Declude.JunkMail mailing list. To > unsubscribe, just send an E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED], and type > "unsubscribe Declude.JunkMail". The archives can be found at > http://www.mail-archive.com. > > --- > [This E-mail was scanned for viruses by Declude Virus (http://www.declude.com)] --- This E-mail came from the Declude.JunkMail mailing list. To unsubscribe, just send an E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED], and type "unsubscribe Declude.JunkMail". The archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com. --- [This E-mail was scanned for viruses by Declude Virus (http://www.declude.com)] --- This E-mail came from the Declude.JunkMail mailing list. To unsubscribe, just send an E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED], and type "unsubscribe Declude.JunkMail". The archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com.
