Using company computers to access TUSCL

shadowcat
Atlanta suburb
Do any of you do this? When I was working that would have been grounds for firing but couldn't happen anyway because the IT people had massive content filters on all internet access.

33 comments

Latest

Caprisun69
10 years ago
I do not because it is a violation of our policy and I love making over a quarter of a million dollars a year!
#SpeakingDaTruth
jackslash
10 years ago
It would not be prudent.
Dougster
10 years ago
It is a policy violation, and even if it wasn't you can bet they would be keeping some record.
Estafador
10 years ago
it's not worth my job when you guys are still here at the end of my work day
Corvus
10 years ago
Nope, filters and a violation. Use my phone for TUSCL nearly always.
londonguy
10 years ago
I work for myself but if I did work for an employer I'd never access TUSCL or any site like it through a work computer. It's a complete no-no for me.
farmerart
10 years ago
Guess what would happen to an employee of mine who was caught using the company's computers or Blackberrys for such use?
JohnSmith69
10 years ago
Big brother is always watching.
JohnSmith69
10 years ago
I've tried to access tuscl from my phone when it had automatically connected to the wifi network at work. Sadly the site was blocked as "inappropriate." I thought that was terribly judgmental. It's not like I was going to download porn. We aren't even allowed o post pictures.
Dougster
10 years ago
^^^ I take you didn't take it up with IT, though.

I still don't understand the point of connecting to WIFI with the speeds that LTE offers.
bang69
10 years ago
I wok with a person who did that. The boss caught them & fired him on the spot.
steve229
10 years ago
"I wok (sic) with a person who did that. The boss caught them & fired him on the spot."

Was this at the Piggly-Wiggly?
Clackport
10 years ago
Nope, like you said there are massive content filters where I work. Like JohnSmith said, when I try to connect to the wifi on my phone, it is deemed inappropriate.
Clubber
10 years ago
The German firm I work for has my laptop so locked down, I can't go anywhere. Even Yahoo or Google is "flagged". If accessed, I get a nastygram, but no repercussion. Every keystroke goes through Germany. When I travel, two laptops follow me.
Mate27
10 years ago
I'd quit! F'ing faggots for blocking me. I'll show them who's boss.
sclvr5005
10 years ago
No way.
azdd
10 years ago
Nope, not at work at all. The other thing to keep in mind is accessing through any WiFi network. The owner of that connection has router history logs that will list every site visited. Important tip when visiting family members and getting access to their network.
SlickSpic
10 years ago
That's why I still have porn on paper. Trapper Keepers of that shit.
AnonymousJim
10 years ago
Wouldn't dare at work. Our network is a little less restrictive, but still. Plus, I use Chrome, which keeps your Internet history on every device you're signed into from every device you're signed into, so I visit in Incognito Mode whenever I'm here at home or on mobile. Not. Even. Taking. The chance.
GoVikings
10 years ago
Why would anyone do this? It's just asking to get in trouble
chandler
10 years ago
What's the point of having a computer at work if you can't use it to view porn and chat about strippers?
bubba267
10 years ago
Many decent sized work places are running proxy servers which can track every click.... Simply not worth the risk and potential consequences.
jester214
10 years ago
I think I have from my work issued laptop before. Probably while on the road, never when I was in the office.

For many years our internet was unrestricted though someone was periodically checking what was going on because I know others were reprimanded/punished for whatever they were using their computers for. Those days are over and everything is filtered.
shadowcat
10 years ago
I only asked the question because I know that many of you are posting while at work. It's obvious from the answers that nobody appears to be doing it.

So next question is does your company really even need internet access to operate? It would be very difficult for the department I was working in to get the job done with out it. There would have to be another source available for some information that is urgently needed. Most of the other departments in the company certainly did not need it.
Caprisun69
10 years ago
^^^lets start a new discussion thread for new questions okay
steve229
10 years ago
"So next question is does your company really even need internet access to operate?"

@shadowcat - yes, most of the apps we use now - file sharing, collaborative tools, virtual meetings, plus time sheets, HR, etc - are all web based now
Dougster
10 years ago
I can't get too much into the technical details, but we have contingency plans for everything and many people working full time on new ones all the time. The core of the business could survive w/o it.
georgmicrodong
10 years ago
Yes I post while in at work, but it's from my phone. Company has things locked down.

Connecting to wifi versus LTE: If you do not have an unlimited data plan, connecting to wifi lets somebody else foot the Internet access bill.

My company would be out of business if it weren't for the Internet. A very core system would still work, but getting information into it and out of it would be difficult.
AnonymousJim
10 years ago
The Internet thing, I think, is two-fold:

First off, on rare occasions, I do have a question about something work-related that I Google or consult a professional message board about. Since that's a really basic function of a computer nowadays, it's probably a lot easier for most employers to just leave a browser on the computer and filter restricted sites than to try and make the computer run without Internet (think about critical software updates and whatnot, too ... generally speaking, Web-delivered).

Secondly, most E-mail servers are somehow web-based, or it's easier to have them be that way rather than totally internal (since a lot of workplaces just use existing Microsoft or Google infrastructure), so again, it would probably be more difficult to do computers completely without Internet than with it. Sans-Internet is probably much easier than sans E-mail, which is pretty important to business nowadays.

Throw in the fact a lot of workers now probably listen to Internet radio or Pandora or something, too, and yes, like to sneak a peek at their Facebook or whatever during the day, and being at a place totally without Internet probably wouldn't be all that appealing to prospective employees, unless you're in a high-paying data security job or something where being on the Web would put you at risk.
Clubber
10 years ago
sc,

"So next question is does your company really even need internet access to operate?"

Yes. As far as I know, no intellectual property is on my laptop. If I need documents or software, drivers, whatever, I have to download them. Then that information is encrypted on my laptop. My laptop is more just a client.
rickdugan
10 years ago
I own the business and we do not maintain a firewall site log, so yes. I also travel a lot, so I'm often on hotel networks or my wireless modem anyway. I never access dicey sites when I am connected to clients' guest WIFI networks as I always assume that everything is being logged.
ATACdawg
10 years ago
There are also security concerns as a lot of porn sites contain viruses or worms that can search out and compromise classified documents. Never did it when I was working.
Papi_Chulo
10 years ago
Not while I worked in corporate America.

I do now b/c I work for a small biz (only a handful of employees) that kinda outsources its IT and the network really has no filters (I also connect to the Wi-Fi via my laptop and don’t use the company PC).
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