?? about emails being "monitored" at work

[Lisa L from MI]

Just wondered that if work informed you that there were to be no more personal emails....could you just set up, say, a Yahoo account? Or would the "webmaster" or whoever still be able to monitor them?? I would think there would be some way around it...especially if you don't use the "work" email address??

Thanks

 

[Cyndiu]

Not sure about the monitoring capability of the actual email, but I know the actual websites you visit can be monitored, thus your company would know that you were in a yahoo site. If you aren't supposed to be there as part of your work, you could certainly be reprimanded and/or terminated for "misuse of company time" or something similar.

Got any friends in the IT department that you can ask?

 

[Cass]

I guess it depends on what they mean... are they saying they don't want personal emails through the company email addy?.. or are they saying they don't want people getting personal email at work?

I would be careful, if you are all networked together they may well be able to see what sites you access.

 

[pw2pp]

If they are saying "no emails at work" then I wouldn't even set up a yahoo e-mail (thereby risking my job) if I were you ..... I just wait until I get home from work to go on the computer.

 

[lizfromfl]

I know at our office the IT department runs software that shows by person every page they have visited on the internet. If the page is not encrypted they can even pull up the actual page you were on and look at what it said.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

It isn't me actually...my sister....and not sure but I suppose they are "networked" together??

They have internet access and it really isn't "needed" for the type of work that is why I wondered about setting up a yahoo acct...that way, I don't think that emails would go through the "work" email server?? (not sure what I am saying but think that is right??)

 

[golfgal]

People are really naieve about what companies can monitor at work. DH is Director of Operations for a large company and responsible for all the staff. They regularly monitor computer usage of employees (mainly ones that are sub-par). He can get a print out of every website people have gone to and copies of every email people send. They know exactly what you are doing on THEIR computer and THEIR system. If they are saying no personal e-mails, that is probably because some people have been abusing that and they know exactly who they are.

I saw one woman at the office balancing her checkbook from an online bank statement and the next day she was logged onto Turbo Tax doing her income taxes (I have been doing some temp work in DH's office). Now, it was "after hours" but why would you put that personal information out on a 'public' system.

 

[grlpwrd]

The company or a fellow employee could also always download a keylogger to keep track of what you're entering in your computer, such as passwords.

My dh has security clearance status and he was told to be careful about any online activity.

I would not risk it at all...."Big Brother" is always watching and computer activity is not as anonymous as we think.

 

[golfgal]

Another thing to keep in mind is even if you "delete" something, it is still there. The first thing Dh's company does if they have a lawsuit going with someone is supoena (sp?) all the computers for the company and then they check every file, especially EMAIL, to see what has gone back and forth.

 

[ksjayhawks]

Some companies/schools will even restrict sites that can be visited. For example, our school system will not allow msn or yahoo email accounts to be accessed.

An employee at my dh work just got terminated a month ago for improper use of computer. He deleted the history, but IT was able to find it anyway. What a shame to lose your job over something like that! He has a wife and a new baby. How would you like to go home and explain the reason why you won't be going to work tomorrow?

 

[PrincessaC]

Yes..they can see everything you do if the computers are all networked together... I remembered one time I freaked out..when I returned to my desk my computer was on and the mouse was moving around and windows were opening and closing..and different codes were being typed in....... I called my supervisor and come to find out...they were working on my computer...upgrading it or something from the tech room....

So they can see everything on your computer..,,

 

[minkydog]

Yes..they can see everything you do if the computers are all networked together... I remembered one time I freaked out..when I returned to my desk my computer was on and the mouse was moving around and windows were opening and closing..and different codes were being typed in....... I called my supervisor and come to find out...they were working on my computer...upgrading it or something from the tech room....

So they can see everything on your computer..,,

[entering the Twilight zone]

 

[Lisa F]

Sounds like your sister might want to clarify with the powers that be at her company rather than third hand info from a bunch of people on her message board. It could be that they don't want you using your work email address for non work related stuff because they are having issues with spam (the best way to get spam is to spread your email address around) or viruses or the like. Or it could be that they are cracking down on using the internet while at work. The only way to find out is to ask if it would be okay to access an outside email site like Yahoo on her lunch break to use email.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

Sounds like your sister might want to clarify with the powers that be at her company rather than third hand info from a bunch of people on her message board. It could be that they don't want you using your work email address for non work related stuff because they are having issues with spam (the best way to get spam is to spread your email address around) or viruses or the like. Or it could be that they are cracking down on using the internet while at work. The only way to find out is to ask if it would be okay to access an outside email site like Yahoo on her lunch break to use email.

It was a question that I was just curious about....I am sure she is looking into it at her workplace....

 

[TammiMcMan]

Typically when a company makes this request, it's simply because of virus issues. Those e-mails coming through the company are usually scanned when you open them in MS Office or whichever mail program the company uses. Private e-mail accounts where you log into that site to read your mail is not going to have the same protection. Even a small company is going to have the software that allows them to see each user and what websites they've visited. I don't think it's a case of big brother looking over your shoulder, but more of a protection to the company. Computer down time caused by a virus is very costly.

 

[CEDmom]

Your company can block access to e-mail services. I can't get into my Yahoo e-mail on my office computer. I also can't get on the DIS boards or other boards and also some websites.

 

[SetzKitten]

I'm a network administrator and I'll tell you how things work here. I block people from using external e-mail like yahoo and hotmail using an internet restriction program. This program gives me reports of everywhere everyone went on the internet and how long they were there. I cannot read anyone's yahoo account, but I can read any mail that comes through the company e-mail server. (I don't, there are ethics involved, but could produce whatever management wanted if they asked). Yes, we have fired people for inappropriate internet use as well as using the company e-mail system for personal business. It really isn't worth the risk trying to "get around" the system. It's there for a reason and we know what you're up to.

 

[Cass]

They regularly monitor computer usage of employees (mainly ones that are sub-par).

What are sub-par employees??

 

[golfgal]

What are sub-par employees??

Sub-par means they are not working as hard as they should. They are doing less work then those is the same position, it was a nice way of saying, bad employees.

 

[Cass]

Ahhh... sorry, I thought you meant that was their category - like they were told that when they were hired