According to a poll, 46% of companies (with 100 employees or more) have blocked Facebook and Twitter. The main worry from companies appears to be that employees will waste time on Facebook.
More businesses are restricting access to these kinds of sites. Employees may not like it, but these websites can represent a security risk if used carelessly. Unless there's a work purpose, many firms do not see any reason why staff should need to access them during work time.
Does your company block Facebook and other popular social network sites on work computers?
If Facebook has been blocked, do you try to find a backdoor to slip in? How to avoid wasting time on Facebook at work?
[question posted by getbrowser]
responses and comments:
Yes, most company block social sites such as facebook or twitter. as any other non-company related sites int he internet. Its a policy most of the company's IT's guys are doing. If its not company related matters, then its block. IT are very good of doing it. Once they detected a site that is not for company's business, they intend to block it. My company is doing it and theres nothing wrong with it. I haven't try to find a back entry though, too dangerous and it might cause my job. [Fulltank]
Although there are some departments won't be blocked, I won't try to access those social network sites while at work. Because I have to use my username and password to access that computer. And I won't use my co - workers too. I would rather wait until I get home, and do those socializing thing at my private time. [clorissa123]
My son works in an IT company, and they have blocked all the sites except that they are dealing with [vathsala30]
lol Our school also blocked all social networking sites. So it's goodbye facebook there! :) *sigh* [mhii_stranger]
I would not have time to access social sites while working, and would never dream of doing my private computing on company equipment. I do not want them able to track what I do. [GardenGerty]
Hello getbrowser.In the company where I worked. Social sites are being blocked. It is a total waste of time because most employees tend to spend more time in FB than the work.lol I think it is best to block those sites for security reasons. [ybonjoc]
The best way to avoid wasting time on Facebook while working is to just NOT GO THERE!!! I'm paid to work...NOT play. I've never tried to go on Facebook at work so I don't know whether they block it or not!!! I've heard others complaining they can't go to Youtube, but I've never heard them complain about Facebook. [LadyMarissa]
Once, I used my computer at my station in attempt to access facebook, it was blocked. While I went to warehouse had a chat with my good friend there. I could access facebook without any problem. So, it depends on department to department at my work. Anyway, I won't waste too much time at facebook while I work. I better finish my work on hand as priority. [clorissa123]
Yes, my company block facebook after 9 am and open again at 4 pm. but my work time actually at 8 am to 5 pm. Actually at first the IT Block Facebook all the time, but since then, they make many enemy from other department, so they make that policy since it will hard for them to work if most of other work mate from other dept doesn't talk to them. Thanks [lordcaocao2025]
Yes our company did it once--they blocked the facebook, friendster and youotube sites. but this only lasted for a week. Now we can access them anytime of the day. I think it's just a matter of discipline from among the employees. We used to access this site during lunch break and do some posts for mylot LOL. [msfrancisco9369]
i never experince about "the Company Block Facebook on Work Computers". i using free hotspot on my town. all sites can be acces and no block for several sites. in my country, several company using this policy for blocking some sites like facebook. [logic57]
hi getbrowser I am retired but my best friend works for a decaptizion insurance company. the bosses had declared that all employees must limit their time on websites to break time and lunch periods. I cannot blame them as if you are going to get paid to work for someone then you should do the work,not play on the computer instead. on breaks fine, or at lunch but not on company time. I have never been a boss but I can understand it from their point.after all they are not paying you to play on the computer but to do whatever it is that they hired you to do . [Hatley]
Well the computers at my work dont block anything, its great, it really is I wouldnt like to work in a place where they blocked Mylot and You Tube and a few other sites I go to, and if they blocked Pickjack I would have been really annoyed. Different for my husband though, he really does have to be inventive to slip in the back door. [vonmac]
I have a blackberry so I can check facebook on my phone, but my bf and I email each other throughout the day and text. [bluehibiscus]
there are many sites that were blocked at our company. social, gaming and other sites that will make working time less. it's distracting but i think it shouldn't be blocked because all work and no play is also not good, hehehe! when you've had enough and you can't concentrate on your work, sometimes all you need is a distraction to get you more relax so you can think. i think employees should be more responsible in using those sites at the office. they should know when it is time to stop. :D [nra091501]
lolYep they did.. most of the social networking sites we're banned in our office. Our boss said that we we're not doing our job be very well because sometimes my co workers are keep on playing games on face or or updating their profiles on friendster and myspace. Good for me I don't go online for those social networking site. however, some of our office mates can still access those sites using some proxy sites. They are very clever.. hahaha.lol [EARLZHAN]
I do remember when I was still working in one of the call centers here, some social networking sites and messengers were blocked to prevent employees from accessing them because it would only disrupt their work. I believe that it is fine. Those personal things should be done when one is not working in the office. [jules67]
No, till my company not block facebook , company trust on employee that complete their task then employees are free to other work . [rucrazy4]
Hi! Annum Zahid is here........... I have only access of email account on my office computer........ [mrmzali]
No, they dont block these social networking sites. But they have blocked torrent sites. [borhan]
Our company does allow us to open Facebook during work because we make use of it as our promotional method to our work but it is still limited.It should be for work purposes only. [irene3184]
If I was a company manager, I would certainly block social networking sites, games, etc and if an employee was found doing ANYTHING personal on the work computer, in work hours, he/she would be sacked. Using a computer for personal purposes during work hours is STEALING. It is firstly stealing TIME for which the employee is being paid and it is also stealing download and adding to the overhead expenses of the company. [cloudwatcher]
Yes the former company that I worked for used to block access to social networking sites like facebook and myspace. But the present company I work for does not block that but you would get into trouble if caught using company hours to browse such social networking site. [enigma1987]
with my previous employer YES! but their actually providing us a free internet access in our lounge area. =) [angellyril]
I work 2 jobs. The one where I have more idle time blocks facebook and mylot! so it forces me to go to other sites to kill time. [TrvlArrngr]
A few years ago, when the stock was booming, a lot of people go onlines for the stock transactions, which naturally affects normal work. Discipline was set to block the stock related sites. [zhuhuifen46]
as a matter of fact i already implemented on blocking major social networking sites and instant messengers on our workstations. before all websites are viewable in our company, but a few weeks ago my boss ordered me to put restrictions on all social networking sites,that includes facebook even yahoo because of the feature of instant messaging thru yahoomail.the primary reason are stated and for the companies security. [rdsantos]
Personally I never had a job where I'd have time to spend socializing on the internet all day. Must be nice to get paid a salary and benefits for that lol. Anyway, last job I had we had a bank of computers where we could do our personal email and stuff on break. But a lot of sites were blocked anyway. Too many problems with viruses and such. And I think it's fair to block them. [AmelieRose]
I think there are some ways to access those sites when disabled by your company but im not quite sure if you could get caught doing that and possibly you may even lose your job. I think companies also have a good reason for blocking those sites since it is really possible that its employees wont do their job well because they would possibly do facebook more than the time time they spend working on their job. If you would ask me, our company only chooses the sites that we would only be allowed to visit and there are just quite a few ones that we could access. Its would even be fun if they would allow us to access mylot so that i could reach my payout in less than a month since the only reason taking me so long to reach the payout is that i am at work the whole day. hehe.. [nrtan2000]
I can use Facebook at the company I work in. But I don't use it when I have lots of work to do, especially when I have deadlines. The company has already blocked Youtube and Friendster, and I hope that it doesn't block Facebook too because it is one of my stress relievers at work. [angelajoy]
I certainly agree with this practice. The company is paying people for their time to work on company business. If you tried to use a back door to get around it you are just as liable to be fired. Companies routinely track what is going on with their computers so it is hard to fool anyone, you probably won't get away with much for very long. ninja [mariposaman]
Yes. I would not want my employees to play games in facebook if it hampers them in doing their job. I would fire my secretary if she harvests first before doing what we asked her to type. [mimiang]
Yes, orkut and facebook are banned here. Also not a single social network is allowed to be used while work.There is cubicle where we can access them but it is visible to all. So people don't go for checking facebook or orkut status on those computers. It looks very uncomfortable as people are moving around you and you're socializing. So i don't go for checking social network status from cubicle computers from my office. So it's not that they blocked it. But they made it available only during hours other than work hours. You can go out and check anytime though but very people do that. [starscream]
Nope, but from time to time they get frisky about computer usage in the office. I've been here in the office using mylot for almost the whole day and it won't be a problem until they get frisky again. Its not actually allowed, this kind of fun on the web, but we do get away with it from time to time. [Bluepatch]
no my company does not block them just because our company has both a facebook and twitter website. i do check my mail at work and other websites sometimes if i am not busy but i am usually really busy at work. [cher913]
for me blocking those websites at the office is good. our company also blocks those websites. It's true that employees will waste some of their time doing those stuffs... [T1Ajai]
yeah the office blocks this website and i hate it [pikachu01]
Hi getbrowser, S most of the companies block, facebook, twitter, or orkut because they dont entertain social networking sites. They have limited access to their incoming mails also. because of spam they do all these. They want there employees to work for the company with wasting there time on these networking sites [deepasubramani]
Our company blocks a lot of sites for some members of staff. I am a manager and can access any website. My teams computers are restricted to view only sites that are relevant to their work and the company intranet. We have computers in the break rooms and canteen which can be used to access personal emails and facebook etc. [carmelbg]
Hey i don't have the experience about this....but as per my cousin in their office they do not allow any kind of fun on internet....They always keep watch on their employee...they don't allow any kind of chatting from yahoo, orkut and facebook....I think his office boss is too strict...thumbdown [padhiaranand]