Employers are blacklisting or blocking websites to prevent
employees from getting on them at work. People are finding ways around blocked
websites by using their mobile phones, or setting them up as a wifi hotspot
thus bypassing any security measures taken by employers. Due to the use of
smartphones, employees are able to access all the want, the wasteful websites
without having to worry about punishment from superiors.
Below is a list of 2010’s top 10 blocked websites. It is not
shocking that Facebook was the number one at 14.2%.
But with all these restrictions being put on Internet, do you think employees would be more enticed to use websites such as facebook just because they aren’t allowed?
http://www.michaelhartzell.com/Blog/bid/58842/The-Top-Ten-Blacklisted-Websites-in-Business-Facebook-1
From my personal view not being allowed to access a website is not going to increase the urge I have to go to it. I think that blocking these sites only add to the time employees waste, because now they are spending time trying to bypass these restrictions.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that even if the sites are blocked employees are still going to find ways around them by using there cell phones and Etc. This though is causing more distraction and time from work because there having to use different ways to get online. Companies need to be more strict on these issues and crackdown. Maybe let them have access while there on lunch but I think its good were blocking these sites.
ReplyDeleteWhat would you propose a long-term solution be? What we did talk about before was internet addiction. Do you think that "cracking down" on issues like this would affect real change in the long-run? I view it as letting an alcoholic be a bartender; it's always going to end up badly.
ReplyDeleteThoughts?
I don't think people will be more prone to using it, especially if their computers are programmed, like most, to not even allow the site to come up. Also, now we can just get on our phones to check facebook!
ReplyDeleteI personally like to seperate work from play. When I'm working, I try to get as much done as I can and I am not at all concerned with surfing the web. Call me old fashioned but I agree with companies blocking these websites. I do not have a smart phone and don't plan on getting one anytime soon, so I can only access the internet from my personal computer once I am home and not working any longer. I think it makes work more fulfilling and also time at home checking up on friends on Facebook more enjoyable as well.
ReplyDeleteIt does not surprise me to see that social networking sites top the list of the blacklisted sites at work. This just shows how much social networking has been integrated into our daily lives. Whether at work or at home, people tend to follow their social networking sites very closely and update their statuses every time something new is on their agenda. I agree with the fact that these blacklisting measures are somewhat short-run. Long-term measures are needed to be taken in order to secure and separate workplace environment with personal life matters.
ReplyDeleteI don't think people will be tempted to access some sites just because it's blocked. I don't think people would be bummed out because these sites are blocked either. Like some of the other classmates have mentioned, people usually resort to their smartphone to access these blacklisted sites.
ReplyDeleteMy husband works for a large company in Charlotte and though there was never a formal announcement made to the employees, their incoming and outgoing emails are being monitored for content as of a couple of months ago, I am no longer able to send him any emails with pictures attached or emails with hyperlinks embedded within the body of the email. I feel this is a form of employer monitoring, though it can also fall under security. I understand why the company would want to, or feel the need to do this, but it would have been respectful to let the employees know about this change.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why workers are spending a lot of time trying to bypass a block website. Not only are they using a lot of time to bypass the websites, but they are wasting company time and money. Facebook is such a distraction in the workforce and at school because we all want to know who's dating who, when the next party is, what he/she did this weekend, etc. Smart phones capability make it harder for companies to track and monitor their workers Interest usage.
ReplyDeleteBlacklisting won't help because of societies reliance on smartphones. I bet most people have apps that can visit the top few sites on this list. Blacklisting probably shouldn't be the answer although it is the employers right. I don't think it helps much if any and probably costs more to implement and police than it is worth.
ReplyDeleteThe top 10 sites are not surprising at all. What may be more important is teaching children and adults how to use the Internet responsibly so addictions and misuse occur less often. Education is a better way to fix the problem than punishment. Many employers fail to look long term and only want quick fix, which is a persistent problem of the United States. There are no shortcuts or easy fixes when it comes to Internet misuse, people will find a way around it.
ReplyDelete