Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Big Brother

We had a team meeting at work yesterday where we were told, amongst other things, that 'they' are beginning to monitor the email. In other words, don't send anything that could get you hauled up in front of HR.

Now, while I'm not in the habit of emailing porn and stuff around the place, and while most of the crappy jokes & stuff that land in my mailbox get deleted , I do receive the odd funny and sometimes I like to forward these things to a few select people who (whom?) I think may get a laugh out of it.
I like to make people laugh.

So now the first question is: What constitutes 'inappropriate'?

The second question is: Are they reading my personal emails?

I am actually quite annoyed by this whole thing because without email I would have very little contact with my family and friends, what with them living on the other side of the world and all. Now I'm going to have to watch what I say to them and Paranoid Terri wants to know how long these Mail Monitors will be able to keep the contents of the emails to themselves. I am personally acquainted with these people and have no illusions pertaining to privacy and professionalism.

We can take this thing a little further down the line too...
If they're beginning to monitor email, and they are already blocking internet access to loads of websites including Flickr and other photo sharing sites, then how long will it be before they realise there are blogs out there???

I fear, my friends, that the day is drawing nigh that I will no longer be able to access my or any other blog from work and when that day arrives, what will I do?
Will I down tools in protest?
Will I resign on the grounds of having my basic human rights violated?

Probably not but doesn't this stuff really piss you off?!

Will I ever get to a place or an age in life where I don't get censored, or told what I can or can't do or who I can or can't see? This is a weird rant for someone who is normally quite happy to follow rules and guidelines but then as someone once pointed out, I'm always quite happy to follow the rules as long as they suit me.
Um, fair enough, I can't really argue with that one.
Nobody ever said I was rational.

Phew! I'm working myself up into quite a little frenzy here and the day hasn't even started yet. Best I finish my coffee and get to work before Big Brother shackles me to my desk.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time here as well. I'll see you in the abyss.

TheTart said...

Crazy stuff ... I guess since they pay you to work, that's just what they want you to do ~ work! Just another slave to a paycheck, natch!

Psssst. You could just blog from home ... or is Big Brother there too?

Smooch,
The Tart
; *

Linda said...

Blogger ate my comment or was it Big Brother. I mentioned emailing you a naked George Clooney in it!!

I am eating breakfast then a shower I got my appointment with the high risk doctor today but I had to stop by and tell ya HI!! I will let ya know how it goes.
xoxoxo

p.s.
word verification: bjtud
bj today! LMAO!!
ok ok I am going and behaving before they do get ya.

anne said...

A naked George Clooney? I had a dream like that once, and it's worth getting fired over. Seriously. ;)

Ben O. said...

I remember posting something about something similar to this . . . I believe it was called being "Dooced", or fired for what is in your blog.

Terri and Anne - Please don't get yourselves fired over a naked Rosemarie Clooney. Oh, wait that said George. My mistake.

:)

Ben O.

Terri said...

Kyknoord - it's the beginning of the end, isn't it...

Tart - Blog from home?? Are you one of 'them'??!!

Beads - Um, having trouble getting past the 'naked George Clooney thing'...
Good luck at the Doc sweetie! xxx

Anne - I couldn't agree more ;)

Ben - I remember that post and I'd rather not think about it if you don't mind. Much happier thinking of George..mmmmm.....

Unknown said...

I blog from home and can't imagine not being able to do so freely. I relate to your frustration because it is kind of how I feel about things where I live - the constant preaching about freedom and liberty ... as long as we do what they say! Let's be positive and not even THINK about your blogging being restricted.

ChittyChittyBangBang! said...

Sucks that one’s e-mails and correspondence are not as private as you would like it to be. Sucks even more that the powers are legally within their rights to snoop around.
I don’t post from work these days, but I write at work and then cut, paste and post when I get home.

Bosbefok said...

It is my experience that all the bluster has very little impact really, They may put a filter on email that scans for swearwords or target words used in Racist or porn sites, but otherwise they CANNOT read every email .... it would take forever. Also you are not responsible for what is sent in to you so that is also bluster.
We sell the mail filters and even we get spam in now and then. I wouldnt get too paranoid yet :-)
They can block sites and certain content but there is always a way around the filters. Imbedding in a word doc works well Im told :-)

Did they tell you about the camera's they have installed in your roof yet ? they watch everything !! thats why i pick my nose and stare at the ceiling all day ....:-) They must think im nuts hahahahahaha !!

DelBoy said...

We have our emails scanned and blocked at work. We also only have internet access to sites which relate to our business eg our maintenance company or our company intranet or our suppliers. We also need to report anyone who sends us porn or inappropriate stuff (yeah right!)

This guy got fired for blogging about his work: http://www.woolamaloo.org.uk/

Framesby 86 said...

If only Internet access was more affordable in SA, we wouldn't even bother about it at work. I agree with Bosbefok ovbiously to a point that needs considering the size of the company that you are working for. I don't spend too much time on the net. I have to do a lot of product research etc so I am pretty much covered, but I wouldn't want Big Brother to see some of the mails I get. Phew!!!

Terri said...

Dawn - I'd help you form a revolution but I'm busy this weekend ;)

Chitty - Yes I've often written a post during the day and then emailed it to myself at home to post there but now they're watching the email!!! Aaargh!

Bosbefok - See you're the kind of person who would probably get away with all sorts of stuff. I'm the kind of person who just needs to do one little thing wrong and the sky comes crashing down on my head. Life's a bitch innit?!

Delboy - That Sux!!

Buddess - Fortunately they've realised we can't do too much about the emails we receive just as long as we don't send The Bad Stuff. That's the official party line for now, anyway.

AngelConradie said...

ah- pretty much "old news" down here.
most of my clients block everything that isn't business related (including blogs and most news sites) and email is very strictly monitored.
i think a lot of south africans get more messages saying "the following email was blocked... etc, please contact your administrator if the email was business related..." than anything else!