Expert Available to Discuss Workplace Privacy Issues and Solutions to Inappropriate Use of Business Computers.

Business/Technology Editors

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 1, 2000

Once viewed as an amazing productivity tool, the Internet is quickly becoming a playground for idle hands.

A recent study by International Data Corp. found that 30- to- 40 percent of workplace surfing isn't job-related, and the American Management Association says 73 percent of major companies monitor online activities -- twice the number that did so in 1997. Employees who choose to review their stock portfolio, shop online, check sports scores or download music at work are being monitored and targeted by a growing number of corporations concerned about productivity losses, bandwidth drains, litigation and an overall increase in company costs.

In the past several months, Dow Chemical Co., The New York Times Co., Xerox and Chevron have fired employees or have been involved in litigation as a result of workplace network abuses. Monitoring Internet usage with filtering or blocking software is a tricky subject because it puts a worker's desire for privacy at odds with a company's obligation to provide a workplace free of objectionable content, such as explicit images and hate speech. This issue is currently receiving considerable attention on Capital Hill as the Senate hotly debates the bill HR4577, which includes a provision requiring educational institutions receiving federal technology funds to install and use filtering software to block minors' access to objectionable material.

The following expert is available to comment on privacy issues:

John Conlin, co-founder and COO of eSniff, Inc.--Conlin currently serves as COO of Denver-based eSniff, Inc., which developed a Linux-based network appliance that monitors Web usage, intranet traffic, email, chat, ftp, telnet and print jobs. The eSniff device performs linguistic and mathematical analysis of network traffic and flags materials predefined by the individual company as inappropriate such as: racism, pornography, stock trading, resignation, job hunting, confidential material, shopping and sports. A 20-year business management consultant, Conlin has counseled hundreds of companies on productivity, employee relations and technology-related issues. Conlin can discuss the various approaches toward monitoring and managing inappropriate use of corporate networks, the challenges associated with relying on blocking and filtering solutions, and human resource and management issues related to cyberslacking.

Conlin has written on the subject of network misuse and sponsors conferences designed to help employers tackle the issue of inappropriate Internet use in the workplace.

If you would like additional information regarding eSniff, the misuse of business networks or workplace privacy issues please contact: Kimberly Baker, Schwartz Communications, 781-684-0770.