On Monday 25 July 2005 17:33, Curtis Vaughan wrote: > Yeh, I was afraid that the encrypted factor would cause problems. As > for legality, it would be interesting to know what other people know, > but it is my understanding that: whereas the computers belong to the > business, all activities carried out on that computer are the > property of the company. This is precisely why email, internet > activity, etc. can all be legally monitored by a business as long as > such activity is carried out within the business' LAN and on the > business' computers. For example, when auditors from a hired > accounting firm come in, then I don't we would have the legal basis > for monitoring their computers or their traffic.
Just check the relevant policy. If the policy (the AUP/TOS) does not make clear the employer can (and may) monitor all computer/network activity, perhaps it would be good to add such a clear statement. Most places I've been to have made this clear in their policy, and one place I've been stated on the terminals before logging in to the VAX/VMS system bluntly stated "we reserve the right to monitor all keystrokes." (Of course, the VAX/VMS systems include the ability to mirror and log any connected terminals; the policy was easily realistic for that institution.)
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