Since the 1990’s the Internet has become an important tool of the businesses world, company policies on Internet usage have become as important as policies regarding sexual harassment and time off work. Many people would not even consider the emails sent internally to other employees to be monitored by management out of the ordinary, but it goes much deeper than one would think. An employee’s email subject lines are screened regularly for inappropriate content. Attachments are checked for viruses. The body of the email is scanned only slightly less because there is so much content in them. But they are scanned just the same as software searches for certain keywords that will trigger red flags.

Depending on levels of security and management level needed, web pages are more and more often blocked from use by management. So as only business usage web sites can be pulled up. A common occurrence when attempting to view a blocked site will show up as the following: “Restricted Internet SiteTop of Form Iron Port Restriction”Bottom of Form

American Management Association and e-Policy Institute did a study in 2005, and discovered 76% companies are monitoring internet usage by the employees. While from 2001 till 2010 the companies that are commonly blocking web pages has gone up to 54%.

Many experts are saying that by the year 2015 over 60% of employers will be monitoring their employees’ social media usage. This is based on pre-screening new hires as well as checking up on current employees; employers feel it is a great tool into showing your true character while “EVERYBODY” is watching. It also allows employers to see if their employees are using social media during hours they should have been working. The software products used are far from cheap for a company with 100 employees the monitoring programs will run a company upwards of 11,500 per year. The program runs in the background of every computer. The user of the computer can’t see it, or even find it through any search tools. Only an administrator can remove, delete or update it buy keying in a personalized security code. These programs randomly check everything from email, to web content, phone usage, and operator’s keystrokes.

Other programs run only with a separate phone systems in order to monitor calls, this is designed to be used to protect everyone from the employee, employer, as well as its customers.

While some would raise issues with personal privacy, the truth is more and more companies are implementing this and informing employees from the beginning. There should never be a presumption that you the