I’m in charge of information technology at our small firm, and the outside contractor updating our computers told me that one of the laptops they serviced has regularly visited hard-core porn sites. He also said a desk top unit used to track orders in the shop has been surfing hate group addresses. The laptop is assigned to the son of the firm’s owner. I like the owner and his son but I’m uncomfortable confronting either of them. Still, I can’t see how this is a proper use of company property. I’m also concerned that there might be some hate group wacko working here, but I really haven’t seen anyone who fits the bill, at least out in the shop. Now what? Should I tell the owner about his son, the shop computer situation, or mind my own business?
In today’s workplace, certain offensive or insensitive material can give rise to discrimination claims because of the hostile environment such material can generate for those subject to it. Here, however, you have no reports that anyone has seen the son use the computer for these purposes at work. His activities may have been totally private, and the images were not downloaded to the hard drive or otherwise displayed. If it is just a matter of using company computer for something not related to work, you’d better be prepared to “out” everyone who ever used it to check the weather or shop online.
The desktop creates a different problem. It is only used in the work environment but you can’t identify the offender.
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