Beware the Internet Police..........a Utah example

[Tom Roderick]

David Vaughan said, "I don't see the privacy breach here.  This is about an employer exercising legitimate control over the activities of their employees."  I agree, you're on their time, so you should only be doing their work...but let's not miss the point here.  This isn't just about wanting to visit porn sites or dial 900 numbers:  "...but bars their use to send, receive or store derogatory, pornographic, indecent or threatening transmissions, or to transmit any confidential or proprietary...information."  The key phrase Utah uses is, " cause for termination."  Who decides what is deemed "cause for termination?"  I've seen people where I work fly off the handle & threaten another coworker, but they have yet to get fired.  How can you properly perform your job knowing that someone not even related to the situation (like your MIS department) might consider your letter just a little too strong/harsh/derogatory/threatening & get you fired?  I suppose we could all go back to private, one-on-one discussions of company business so that it's just their word against ours...Big Brother might not be here yet, but when do we say enough?  Every web site you visit, & every email you send EVEN FROM HOME is recorded at your service provider.  How long before anyone can demand access to those logs?  Maybe that will be part of future job applications:  You must submit to a drug test;  you must submit your credit history (many do check it, whether you know it or not); you must submit your internet & email usage logs;  you must provide three samples of your DNA for mental instability testing...  

(Oops, did I shout up above?  I'd better start packing my things!)  ;-P

Not normally paranoid but refusing to be complacent,
	Thomas Roderick

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Provident Music Group
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