Read Ethical and Societal Issues (pg. 441): Computer Use Policies for Employees

Question

Read Ethical and Societal Issues (pg. 441): Computer Use Policies for Employees Some companies resort to questionable means to enforce computer use policies. They use surveillance software to monitor employees’ IT use. Every activity on the employee’s computer is simultaneously tracked and recorded. Everything that the employee sees on their monitor can also be seen on the monitor of the person tracking them. The same software is used to monitor children’s online activities and monitor spouses suspected of infidelity. Should employees be treated as undisciplined children or cheating spouses? Should employers not have the right to monitor what’s done with their equipment especially on paid time?

Explanation / Answer

Solution: -

So, on the basis of code of ethics followed by the companies regarding the computer use policies for employees, it can be unethical sometimes as it violating the privacy of an employee. But if you see as a company’s perspective, company generally tells their employees not to use company devices for personal use. Those devices are highly secured as you need to work with client’s highly sensitive data.

So, it is the policies of every company to encrypt those devices with a 3rd vendor and those devices are so protective that even if you try to use any external devices, those external devices will also gets encrypted with that software and you can not use that external device for other use. So, even much more level of security is used by companies to have an eye on their employees’ activity. Now-a-days company uses software to monitor and record the activity of their employees. As data of their client is so important that they can’t compromise to risk those data.

There is also a disadvantage for companies as the trust and relationship established between employees and company gets weaken. But these things can be done in an easy way, a terms and agreement must be signed between employees and the organization regarding ensuring securities of data. Employees should perform their operations within the permissible limits set by the organization. The matter of fact is you cannot use company’s device for personal use.

If both employees and organization follow their respective protocols regarding securities then then there is no need to follow or implement these kinds of techniques to ensure securities.

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