Web Blocking software in the workplace?

[mazzy1026]

What are people's views on this?

In work, categories are blocked such as games, entertainment, adult content (agreed), gambling etc. But, I cant even check the lotto numbers on a Thursday morning as it is gambling, I cant check last night's footy scores, as it's sports. I cant check email as it is all blocked, for virus purposes, even though I have up to date scanners and know never to open something without scanning it first. I cant even do a crossword on my lunchbreak, even though I can load up solitaire or minesweeper from the start menu.

Thing is, I can just go here and bypass our server with a proxy.

So what's the point? What are the ethical issues? I am researching into this for a report I will be writing - so any opinions, examples, telling's off......welcome

Didn't put this in Computer forum, as it doesnt necessarily have to be technical.

[eal401]

Thing is, I can just go here and bypass our server with a proxy.

I can't even do that!

We have the same, the only chink is that our IT is outsourced to an organisation that makes PC World look like computer experts. So some pages are blocked, others are still free to view!

And we can check our lotto results.

[phoenix son]

eal401,

Similar set up here, seems a bit arbitary as to what is and what isn't blocked...We have 2 levels of "blocking", either out-and-out blocking or the option to "continue for work-related purposes" (yeah, right...)

[Flying_Frisbee]

Most blocking depends on the key-words set up by the site's designers and so depends on how they describe it.
This might explain why some are blocked and others not.

[Jerricho]

The "Web Sense" blocking software they use at Nav Canada is fairly ruthless at blocking all types of nasty little things. Seems though that people have found an online poker site called :Jetset Poker" which the software doesn't seem to mind simply becasue of the word Jet.

[cargosales]

Thing is, I can just go here and bypass our server with a proxy.

Nope. Forget what the company is doing. Out here, the Government owned telecomms provider blocks things for them.

[Lost_luggage34]

Some can block sites with a large amount of flesh coloured content - so I am told !

[phnuff]

I worked at an organisation which had s/w to scan emails looking for flesh colours. It wasn't long before everyone worked out that if you included flesh colours in your email, it would get blocked until a man in a dirty raincoat had passed it fit for purpose. A great thing to do when sending emails along the lines of

"If I do not hear from you by close of play today, I will assume your agreement"

[rotorcraig]

Thing is, I can just go here and bypass our server with a proxy.

Suggest that you read your company's Information Security Policy (if they have one) before you do.

Depending on their stance, bypassing the company proxy could constitute grounds for disciplinary action.

RC

[1DC]

Before I retired, at my place of work if you needed the internet to do your job you were authorised, if you didn't you were restricted to the company LAN. If you were caught by the IT police, looking at "lewd" stuff it was the threat of the sack, looking at lottery results would have been a warning.

[Tone]

Consider the other side of the equation. We installed a system in a customer's braches, each system had a server and these were linked via the customer's IT network. Wasn't long before the night shift discovered that the servers were nothing more than PCs with a gateway to www - and while the cats were away.........

The result was a megatrash of the whole network, cost thousands to put right and in addition lost the customer about one weeks revenue.

I am sure that all PPRuners are responsible types who would not dream of compromising their employers networks - but how about the others?

Message is learn to live with it or get one of those Bilberry jobs (Blueberry? Burberry?)

[mazzy1026]

Some great input here - thanks.

It seems that in some cases, there are simple ways around it, whereas others there are not, for example the proxy blocking mentioned above - all's you have to do is disable the LAN settings button in IE and that solves that, yet some companies do not do this.

So what is the solution? A complete clamp down on everything, or more detailed 'eye in the sky' monitoring? Is there a compromise?

Appreciated,

Maz

[Tonkatoy]

The thing to bear in mind regarding Internet and email access granted to an employee by an employer is that it is granted to them solely so the employee can do their job. It that employee is allowed or tolerated using it for any other purpose is down to discretion of the employer.
From the employers perspective, the majority of them seem to be content to allow use of the companies infrastructure provided there is no impact on the operation of the business. This attitude may be borne out of the fact that until fairly recently content blocking was an immature technology.
However, unrestricted access to Internet services by employees carries a risk to the business and it's one that businesses are becoming much more aware of. With breaches ranging from passing company secrets through to running unauthorised servers distributing illegal software, the potential for reputation loss, financial damage and legal action are real risks that are important to the Board. In using technical means to circumvent monitoring or control systems designed to mitigate those risks to the company, an employee is committing a breach of good conduct that would be addressed as if it was any other sort misconduct.

In the future I'd expect to see much more in the way of control, locking access right down because it drives support costs right down as well as reducing risks to the business.