Workers Have Little Internet Privacy at Work

Posted on December 12, 2005

A Wired article looks into the privacy rights workers have to use the Internet from work and finds that there isn't much privacy at all. Wired even found that employers are only required to notify you when you are being monitored in just two states: Connecticut and Delaware.

Notice of monitoring: Only two states (Connecticut and Delaware) require that employers inform workers if they are monitoring online activity, according to Jeremy Gruber, legal director, the National Workrights Institute. Federal legislation requiring such disclosure has been proposed but not enacted.

Even telecommuters aren't free from the big corporate brother:

Privacy outside the office: More workers are telecommuting these days, often using laptops and other portable devices provided by their employer. But leaving the office doesn't guarantee freedom from internet surveillance.
Using the company laptop to remotely access its network is, from a monitoring legality standpoint, generally the same as working from the office, said Mark Schreiber, a partner at Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, who advises firms regarding internet use policies.

The article warns employees to be careful about their email, surfing and blogging habits. It says to be totally free of corporate surveillance you will need to use an independent, non-corporate Internet connection.