Employees addicted to online news. (Up front: news, trends & analysis).

A recent survey found that employees visit online news sites more frequently than gambling, pornography, and shopping sites--and most consider news some of the most addicting content available on the Internet.

The survey was conducted by Websense, a San Diego-based company that makes software to help companies monitor workers' surfing patterns and block them from visiting, or at least from spending too much time, on sites that distract them from their jobs. According to Websense, employees spend about 20 percent of their time surfing the Web. On average, those surveyed said they spent 8.3 hours a week on Internet sites that have no relation to their jobs, and most said they would rather give up coffee than the Internet.

Twenty-three percent of workers surveyed said they considered news the most addictive Web content--a percentage only slightly bested by online shopping, which was reported as most addictive by 24 percent of respondents. Overall, 18 percent gave an addictive distinction to pornography, 8 percent named gambling, and 6 percent singled out online auctions.

The majority, or 67 percent of respondents, reported that they were allowed to use their office Internet connection to catch up on the news. Just 37 percent said they could access shopping and auction sites, while, surprisingly, 2 percent reported being able to surf gambling and pornography sites.