Computer Privacy At The Office

Why can't I access certain websites at work?

If you're unable to access certain websites at work that is because your employer has installed software on their network that either completely disables your ability to do so or puts a time limit on your ability to do so. I seen both of those practices used. From a stand point of efficiency they don't want you shopping and this software, basically either has preset sites in it that you're not allowed to visit or it uses algorithms to guess what kind of site these are and restrict you from entertainment sites, sexual sites, shopping sites, whatever sites they deemed inappropriate at work. So if you're experiencing that that means that your employer has installed something on the server that will not allow you to access them.

Can my employer monitor my computer, email and Internet usage?

Your employer may absolutely monitor your Internet usage as well as your email. There is a legal debate as to who owns the email that you use at work - whether it's your personal email that entitles you to any privacy or whether there is a company email, something that they loan you. Suddenly, one way around this is to use services like hotmail, yahoo mail, gmail which is third party and cannot be monitored by any third party or any independent party. They are completely separate from the system at work. But, you have no guarantees to any rights of privacy when you're using corporate email and Internet systems. Not only can they tract what you're doing, they might store records to what you're doing. And thus far, the courts have upheld that's their right to do so.