Depending on the employer, one may have different answers to this question. However, looking from a general perspective, what is it about the World Wide Web that makes it inappropriate to use while working? Are there certain times of the day that this kind of mis-usage is appropriate? It is difficult to answer these questions because every companies' policies are different, therefore looking from a general perspective is best. Some of the common types of internet misuse are:
- Online shopping
- Online gaming
- Using dating websites
- Browsing pornography
- Checking e-mail not related to work
- Any social networking site (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Skype, etc.)
- Random internet surfing
- Downloading music
- Watching television online
From a personal perspective, I can say that some companies are more lenient with internet usage. If the work pace is slow then moderate, unrelated to work internet use is allowed. If the work pace is busy, most likely internet use is completely prohibited unless it is work-related. It all depends upon the strictness of the employer. When on a job, one should be focused on the work tasks anyhow and not personal business that should be taken care of outside of the office. Misusing the internet will not only hurt the individual misusing it, but also the company. Internet misuse cuts into company profits and productivity. If employers want to be aware of what their employees are doing on the internet, monitoring the internet usage is essential.
