[techtalk] Sick of surf and porn addicts

[James Sutherland]

On Thu, 31 May 2001, Penguina wrote:
> > At 5/29/01 06:02 AM , James Sutherland wrote:
> >
> > >The *US* courts, you mean? I'm talking about *EU* law. That's the whole
> > >point: this is legal in the US, but NOT in the EU. One of the few areas
> > >the EU has got it right, IMHO - for the most part, I think I prefer the US
> > >system (2nd amendment, better recognition of the concept of self-defence,
> > >etc).
>
> Oh so now suddenly James decides to Be Specific.

No - the very first post made it clear the discussion related to the EU.
You then wade in saying "No you're dead wrong, it's not like that" quoting
US-specific references.

> But not while you're on my payroll, and not using my equipment and not
> using my telephone, and not using my internet connection.  I, as a
> private employer, have every right to monitor what goes on with my stuff,
> including what my employees do with my stuff.  And if you want to store
> porn on my disk drive, you can bloody well get your walking papers.

Certainly not true in countries where citizens have rights (instead of the
free-for-all corporate lets-screw-the-public-fest you seem to enjoy).

> Sure, if employees need to make the occasional local personal phone call,
> to look up their favorite band or movie during breaks, and particularly
> to read work relevant web publications and even local or international
> newspapers -- yeah, sure.  There's a lot of benefit in that.  But it is
> quietly logged somewhere.

Not if you want to keep your company it isn't; recording phone calls is
restricted by law even in the Unregulated States, though many states are
still pretty lax about it.

> If the EU has its head so far up its hindquarters that it doesn't
> allow private employers to monitor and regulate the use of company
> infrastructure, then no wonder the EU is so far uh..."behind."

Behind... yep, our bubble's much smaller than your bubble. Which means
you've got further to fall...

> I'd tell that gal in Belgium if she wants to do the right thing by
> her employer, but is hamstrung by stupid EU "privacy" laws -- log
> everything anyway, perform the analysis, and simply be extremely
> careful whom she shows it to and who she tells about it.

i.e. don't mention it to the people whose human rights she's violating, or
the employer who'll fire her for doing so, or the police who would fine
the company into the ground for allowing her to do so?

> Um, help what?  Help build a culture of lazy surfing children who think
> the world owes them a living because they know how to operate a browser
> and a word processor--oh, and really think they know computers because
> they've installed Linux somewhere?  We've already GOT that.  Sheesh.

Better that than a culture where employers feel entitled or even obliged
to spy on their staff, rather than TRUSTING them to do the jobs for which
they are paid...

Think about it. Your justification is that excessive surfing harms their
productivity - are you honestly trying to claim the only way you can
measure an employee's productivity is to spy on his/her personal
communications? If they have a proper job, you should be able to tell
whether or not they are working properly without that sort of measure!


James.