And there's little you can do to stop it. Electronic surveillance on the job is nothing new. Security cameras and phone logs have long been used to discourage employee mischief and ensure snappy customer service. But as computers and the Internet penetrate more workplaces, some managers are finding older technology inadequate. Md. That's why many are turning to snoop software to watch over their wired employees.
Businesses have good reason to fret.
The discovery of an off-color electronic message at the St. Louis investment firm Edward Jones in April forced the company to dismiss 19 employees and to reprimand 41 others. But pornography is only part of the problem. Companies worry that employees could use the Internet to spill trade secrets or sensitive financial data. They're also concerned about lost productivity from employees surfing sports, stock brokerages and job web sites. The software's Big Brother elements are making some workers and privacy rights activists bristle about its use in the workplace.