June 17, 2005 5:45 PM PDT

Bosses on the prowl for risque pics

Beware, those of you who sometimes sneak off in cyberspace to look at naughty pictures.

Ninety percent of the largest U.S. companies have procedures in place in case inappropriate or illicit images are discovered in the work place, and 50 percent have had to use these procedures for incidents in the past year, according to a study released Friday.

The report, sponsored by software company PixAlert and conducted by research firm Delta Consulting, also found that when businesses pursued an investigation, 44 percent of cases resulted in a dismissal from the company.

The study is the latest to indicate that companies are keeping close track of employees in the work place. A report released earlier this month found that 63 percent of corporations with 1,000 or more workers either employ or plan to employ staff to read or otherwise analyze outbound e-mail. And according to a study earlier this year, the number of companies that monitor the amount of time employees spend on the phone and track the numbers called has jumped to 51 percent, up from 9 percent in 2001.

Though liability and regulatory issues may be convincing companies to peek in on their employees, such surveillance raises privacy concerns. Employers can monitor workers to a greater degree these days, thanks to newer technologies such as keystroke-logging software and satellite global positioning systems that can track a cell phone user's whereabouts.

The Delta Consulting-PixAlert report was designed to cover a cross-section of corporations that comprise the country's top 500 companies. Senior managers responsible for computer usage policies participated in the survey. A sample of 50 executives was interviewed.

4 comments

Join the conversation!
Add your comment (Log in or register)
The Hire A Hybrid Full Employment Bill
June 17, 2010
-------------

Congress has just passed the "Hire A Hybrid Full Employment" bill, also known as HFEB. The bill's sponsor, Senator Dick Bendertruth, stated "We understand that American businesses today are under intense pressure from low-wage countries like Iraq and Afghanistan to compete in the global marketplace. HFEB will help level the playing field and keep jobs in the U.S. by allowing our companies to hire hybrid workers that meld the intelligence and loyalty of a German Shephard with the arms and legs of a human. This provides our employers with the ideal workforce at a price that they can afford. As an added benefit, all HFEBs will be manufactured by American companies in high-unemployment inner cities like New York and Santa Clara."
Posted by Stating (870 comments )
Reply Link Flag
The Hire A Hybrid Full Employment Bill
June 17, 2010
-------------

Congress has just passed the "Hire A Hybrid Full Employment" bill, also known as HFEB. The bill's sponsor, Senator Dick Bendertruth, stated "We understand that American businesses today are under intense pressure from low-wage countries like Iraq and Afghanistan to compete in the global marketplace. HFEB will help level the playing field and keep jobs in the U.S. by allowing our companies to hire hybrid workers that meld the intelligence and loyalty of a German Shephard with the arms and legs of a human. This provides our employers with the ideal workforce at a price that they can afford. As an added benefit, all HFEBs will be manufactured by American companies in high-unemployment inner cities like New York and Santa Clara."
Posted by Stating (870 comments )
Reply Link Flag
I kinda like this idea
This one actually works for me . At any given time I can tell the CEO exactly what I think of him and since he's paying somebody to read my e-mail he should get it (unlike the ones sent directly to him.). Even better if he decides to make an issue of it I;m just going to walk and take MY customers with me and let him choke on it.
Posted by mpotter28 (130 comments )
Reply Link Flag
I kinda like this idea
This one actually works for me . At any given time I can tell the CEO exactly what I think of him and since he's paying somebody to read my e-mail he should get it (unlike the ones sent directly to him.). Even better if he decides to make an issue of it I;m just going to walk and take MY customers with me and let him choke on it.
Posted by mpotter28 (130 comments )
Reply Link Flag
 

Join the conversation

Add your comment

The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited. Click here to review our Terms of Use.

Inside CNET News

1-2 of 12

Scroll Left Scroll Right

What's Hot

Discussions

Shared

RSS Feeds

Add headlines from CNET News to your homepage or feedreader.

Markets

Market news, charts, SEC filings, and more

Related quotes

Dow Jones Industrials (0.57%) 72.81 12,874.04
S&P 500 (0.68%) 9.13 1,351.77
NASDAQ (0.95%) 27.51 2,931.39
CNET TECH (0.84%) 17.13 2,049.14
  Symbol Lookup