DNA Money
- ‘Everything can now be monitored’
- ‘It’s like peeping into someone’s bedroom’
Mumbai, Apr 27: There are organisations that monitor every employee's activity. Even top bosses and managers are not spared. This kind of monitoring isn't strictly the Big Brother type where bosses snoop on their employees.
It's like having a CCTV camera, which monitors all activity. Computer monitoring systems are defence mechanisms against threats.
Of course, employees must be informed of such surveillance. It is unethical if carried out without prior knowledge of the staff or if the intent is voyeuristic. It is also a legal requirement to inform the employees.
It is necessary to understand that any domain administrator in any company can monitor computer activity. Every sentence you type, every document you create and every email you read can be easily accessed by the administrator. Computer surveillance software are popular among BPOs and companies that deal with R&D.
Companies should make a declaration upfront telling employees that they can't use the company's property for private work nor can they use it to waste time. Such intimation would serve as a deterrent. A wide variety of monitoring software is available. From software that can track internet usage to those that can spy on USB devices.
Many companies are also outsourcing the watchful eye, says Capt. Raghuraman, CEO, Mahindra Special Services Group.
Privacy fears compel monitoring
Monitoring internet activity has become very essential. There are software programmes that scan emails for specific words or phrases that can be contentious for the organisation.
RSA provides specialised services that monitor emails for anti-phishing purposes.
Phishing is a common internet scam wherein people receive emails from an ID posing as the bank, asking customers to verify passwords and other security details.
When you fill in the required information, you are providing information to a fraudster.
We provide software that scans such emails and notifies the customers in real-time that they are being tricked. This kind of software is mainly used by banks to protect their customer's privacy.
But several software development firms, BPOs and call centres use this software. Any organisation, which provides remote access to internal processes has software to monitor so that confidential information is not abused, said Srikiran Raghavan. Regional Sales head, RSA - security division of EMC.
We maintain logs of user activity
In our company, we have system, processes and people, which restrict total access to certain sites. All search engines are restricted because restricted sites can be accessed through these search engines.
For business critical users, we do need to provide site or search engines based on inputs received from HoD and management. We have tools to monitor the sites visited by employees and create logs.
It is the job of Sharekhan’s IT department to monitor internet activity for better security and control. If the HoD or management learns of malpractices at any level, a warning is issued and if the offence is repeated, access to internet is denied, said Ketan Parekh, Chief Technology Officer, Sharekhan.
Can I sue my company?
There is no specific law that allows companies to access their employee's private emails and chats. But companies can certainly monitor the websites their employees visit.
As long as the procedure of monitoring remains limited to accessing sites, it’s legally valid. If it gets too personal and if the privacy of an employee is affected in any way, it is unethical.
There is a need for regulation to ensure productive time is not wasted by employees surfing the Internet. But if the companies spy and intrude on people's privacy, it is an offence.
Company officials are not supposed to view personal data such as personal emails and chats of the employees. They should only restrict access to those sites which are not work-related.
If the employee is whiling away lots of his time in the office chatting and checking his personal email he can be instructed not to do so. But other than that, the company should have considerations about the privacy of employees and not try and spy on them.
There is no statutory right to privacy in the law. However, there is a mention of the fundamental right to privacy in terms of the State, said Pawan Duggal, Cyberlaw expert.
‘It’s like peeping into someone’s bedroom’
My friend was fired: I am not sure if my chat or emails are being checked. But I am careful about what I say through my official email after a friend got trapped while sending a job application to another company. She was fired without any explanation.
The company has every right to monitor its employee's official email. It's the company's property after all. But don't monitor private chats. We need recreation and have a right to privacy, said Julie Gomes. Bandra
Don’t screen my chat: Employers have no business monitoring our personal mail. We are bound to the company officially. Our personal communication should not be screened. Such monitoring can foment a sense of fear and distrust and can adversely affect an employee's relationship with the company.
Till now, I chatted and surfed carelessly. I never realised that it is probably being monitored. We haven't been informed of any such company policy. - Sushma Rodrigues. Mahim
Chat is a de-stresser: I am aware that my mails are probably being monitored. But I am not sure if my personal chats are also under surveillance. Chatting on the Internet is a stress buster for me and I usually vent against my colleagues through chats.
The company has no right to monitor my chats or personal email. It's like peeping into someone's bedroom. I send my photographs through email. I can't afford a third person having an access to them. - Biji Ramachandran. Andheri
Bad for working couples: I hope my emails aren't monitored. It's very unethical. I get mails from my wife everyday in my official ID and some of them are extremely personal. It'll be terribly embarrassing if someone's reading them.
Mailing or chatting is the only option for working couples who have no time to chat on the phone. I have never shared any official information through my personal emails or chats, so I won't get into trouble. But being monitored is not a great feeling. - Kailash Chandran. Santacruz.
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