Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Invasion of Privacy or Good Business?



Many individuals enjoy the privacy of searching their e-mails, social network sites, and other computer activity without prying eyes observing their every move. When personal activity is conducted on business computers however, should an individual be entitled to the same level of privacy as they would on their home computer?

This question has sparked more than a few debates on whether a business can record every move a person makes on their networks and computer systems. The federal government, one of the largest employers in the country, has many agencies within it that see such recording as an absolute necessity. These agencies seek to determine if government information is being used inappropriately by installing software that logs the activity of anyone using their computers. This includes recording any personal information that comes across these systems.

Government agencies are not alone in the quest to regulate the release of confidential information to outside parties. Many other businesses, such as technology and pharmaceutical firms, have their own version of such software to protect their interests.

In a world where information espionage is easier than ever using digital means, some argue that recording all information flowing across a company network can prevent sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands. Others say that personal e-mail accounts and other activities clearly personal in nature should be off limits to monitoring software.

Do you think business computers should record all of an individual’s activity on their network?

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