Is it okey to monitor the web sites visited by your network users?

Question

Is it okey to monitor the web sites visited by your network users?

Answer 1

In the US, and ONLY the US, it is legal for a company, and ONLY a company (well, the staff with high authority), to monitor its employees' network usage. And even then, you have to use discretion when it comes to things like account credentials, credit card info, and other sensitive data, lest you be sued.

In any other country, or under any other context, monitoring someone's network usage without their knowledge is a crime (breech of privacy, eavesdropping, wiretapping).

Answer 2

If you are the system/network administrator or IT, then yes, it's ok to monitor the network.  

Answer 3

Yes and No.

You don't want them looking at p**n during work, but you cannot continuously spy on them (privacy invasion) unless you would let them know.

You can't prohibit/control them looking at Yahoo answers can you?

Answer 4

I assume you're talking about monitoring internet usage on a corporate network by your employees.  If that's the case, then yes you can. The courts have made it clear that employers have every right to monitor what employees do on their networks. That goes from monitor websites to reading their emails.  The network, and the data that passes through it, belongs to the company.  Therefore the company has a legal right to view what it wants to view on their on network.  With that being said, it's probably a good idea to inform employees that their website usage and/or email "may" be monitored.   And of course YOU need to have the proper authority by your company to do so.  Spying on an employee if you don't have the authority to do so will land you in hot water.