Monitoring Employees on Networks: Unethical or Good Business

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Monitoring Employees on Networks Unethical or
Good Business

• MIS 235 Dr. Chen
• Spring 1999 Group 7

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Presenters

• Angela Saraceno
• Herb Portillo
• Staci Garrett
• Jon Dawn

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What is Monitoring on a Network System?

• When management views employees personal
  computer activities such as e-mail, files, and
  Internet usage.

Definition to Ethics?
The code of moral principals and values that
govern the behaviors of a person or group with
respect to what is right or wrong.
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Why Does Management Support This Issue?

• Need to know evidence of
• illegal activity
• racial discrimination
• sexual harassment
• Whether employees performance is within
  guidelines of the businesss goals
• Time management
• Computer activity relevant to job

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Why Do Employees Feel This Is Wrong?

• Right to Privacy
• Unethical
• Employees feel lack of trust
• Right to freedom of conscience
• Right of Free Speech
• Right to Due Process
• Right to Life and Safety

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What Do Employers Monitor?

• Who uses the Internet
• What sites the user goes on
• Whether each site is productive or not
• When the user is accessing the Internet
• How long the user is on each site
• What the user does at each site
• Which users play games or use chatrooms

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Examples of Past Legal Cases

• Flanagan et al. Vs. Epson America, Inc.
• Alana Shoars discovered that her supervisor was
  copying and reading employees e-mail, she sued in
  the Los Angeles, California, court, alleging
  invasion of privacy.
• This case was dismissed on the grounds that
  e-mail does not fall within the states
  wiretapping laws
• The courts enforce that there is no strong
  legislation that specifically addresses
  electronic privacy concerns.

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Examples of Companies that Implement Free Access
by Management
Free Access meaning that they can intercept and
read personal e-mails

• Nordstrom
• Eastman Kodak
• Federal Express

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References

• Alice LaPlante, Firms Spell Out Appropriate Use
  of Internet for Employees, Computerworld,
  February 5,1996
• Does E-Mail Mean Everyones Mail? Information
  Week, January 3,1994
• David Bjerklie, E-Mail The Boss Is Watching,
  Technology Review, April 1993
• www.dginponet.org/surfpolicy.html
• www.uwsofware.co.uk/webmon-home.html
• www.net-sensor.com/internet 4.htm
• www.cnet.com

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Are There Any Questions?