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News Archive- 14 Devember 2005

Festive season sees rise in saucy emails and porno pics in the office

14 December 2005: With Christmas upon us and office parties in full swing, it is not surprising that most organisations see an increase in saucy emails and pornographic images being passed around their staff PCs. But while many people may view this as harmless fun, company directors, managers and employees should be aware that they are at the risk of civil claims for sexual harassment should employees find the material offensive.

“If companies turn a blind eye to inappropriate pictures during the festive season, it can make it difficult to take disciplinary action at other times - possibly even leading to unfair dismissal claims by employees sacked for illicit image offences,” says Andy Churley, marketing director at PixAlert, a company specialising in countering pornography in the workplace. “There is a tendency, at this time of year, for staff to distribute salacious images via email. While this is a problem for companies simply trying to manage internal emails, inappropriate material is often distributed outside the network, which can have a devastating affect on a business image and reputation.”

More and more companies are now running regular audits for digital pornography on their computers and this is even more important at this time of year. The assumption that gateway filtering blocks all inbound illicit images is a fallacy. While they stop a good proportion, there are still plenty that get through and images are often introduced on to corporate computers in ways that gateway systems cannot detect or that simply bypass the gateway completely. For example, embarrassing pictures taken on a digital camera at the company Christmas party and distributed on email the next day completely bypass gateway filtering.

“If staff, who have become regular users of pornography know that they might get caught out through a random Audit, it is a major deterrent, which may help break what can become a negative spiral,” says Churley. “It also provides reassurance to the company and staff that their networks are free of illicit image material.

“By monitoring, as well as auditing, it is possible to actually prevent pornographic or illegal images being displayed and viewed on computer screens by blurring the images before they appear. This prevents staff from being inadvertently exposed to inappropriate image material and also stops those who are deliberately seeking such material. “

According to The Centre for Internet Studies, more than 60 percent of companies have disciplined staff and over 30 percent have terminated employment for illicit image abuse. By implementing a programme of Auditing and Monitoring, organisations can ensure their employees comply with policies and legislation on inappropriate and illegal content.