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Computer misuse

Employee misuse of employers' computer, email or internet facilities is a common issue in the workplace. For example, non-work-related use of the internet at work, viewing of inappropriate material such as pornography, and harassment of colleagues or criticism of the employer on social media might all constitute employee misconduct.

Employers should have in place an email and internet policy, setting out clearly how employees can use its email and internet facilities.

Computer misuse can be a particular problem during major sporting events, such as the football World Cup.


    • Financial services
    • Latest News
    • Confidentiality

    NatWest blocks messaging apps for work communications

    by Jo Faragher 13 Nov 2024
    by Jo Faragher 13 Nov 2024

    NatWest has blocked WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Skype on company devices in the UK, telling employees that they must use...

    • Civil Service
    • Legal sector
    • Latest News

    Vince Cable: Post Office managers were ‘thugs in suits’

    by Adam McCulloch 25 Jul 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 25 Jul 2024

    As business secretary between 2010 and 2015, Cable revealed that officials did not consider Horizon issues to be serious enough to bring to his attention.

    • Public sector
    • Tech sector
    • Computer misuse

    The Post Office Horizon scandal: an explainer

    by Adam McCulloch 20 Jun 2024
    by Adam McCulloch 20 Jun 2024

    We round-up some of the key dates and moments in the Post Office computer scandal so far and name the key people involved.

    • General Data Protection Regulation
    • Data protection
    • Latest News

    Cybersecurity is an HR issue, not just a matter for IT

    by Rob Moss 12 Jan 2023
    by Rob Moss 12 Jan 2023

    Cyberattacks at media group and at Royal Mail underline that ‘cybersecurity is not just an issue for the IT and security teams in organisations; it’s an HR issue‘

    • Latest News
    • Computer misuse
    • Employee references

    Could rescreening employees help to fight ‘digital assassins’?

    by Peter Cleverton 22 Dec 2022
    by Peter Cleverton 22 Dec 2022

    Rescreening employees to mitigate against the risks of reputational and financial damage is a useful tactic against 'digital assassins'.

    • Latest News
    • Confidentiality
    • Computer misuse

    HSBC Holdings employees under scrutiny for WhatsApp use

    by Jo Faragher 23 Feb 2022
    by Jo Faragher 23 Feb 2022

    HSBC Holdings is being investigated by US regulators over employees' use of WhatsApp

    • General Data Protection Regulation
    • Data protection
    • Latest News

    Five ways HR can improve cyber security

    by Jon Abbott 3 Jul 2019
    by Jon Abbott 3 Jul 2019

    Incidents such as those at Morrisons and Butlin's show that employees can be a significant risk in terms cyber security. What can HR do to reduce the threat?

    • Data protection
    • Latest News
    • Confidentiality

    Morrisons payroll data breach judgment a ‘wake-up call’ for business

    by Rob Moss 22 Oct 2018
    by Rob Moss 22 Oct 2018

    The Court of Appeal has upheld the judgment finding Morrisons vicariously liable for the leak of payroll data by a...

    • Data protection
    • Latest News
    • Confidentiality

    Morrisons payroll data breach reaches Court of Appeal

    by Rob Moss 9 Oct 2018
    by Rob Moss 9 Oct 2018

    The class action case against Morrisons by staff who had their payroll data leaked online by a disgruntled employee has...

    • Bullying and harassment
    • Ethics
    • Latest News

    UK employees more lenient around ethics but more likely to report misconduct

    by Rob Moss 13 Sep 2018
    by Rob Moss 13 Sep 2018

    UK employees take a more lenient approach than the European average to questionable workplace behaviour...

    • Computer misuse
    • Human rights
    • Staff monitoring

    Worker whose messages were monitored had human rights breached

    by Jo Faragher 5 Sep 2017
    by Jo Faragher 5 Sep 2017

    Employers should make employees aware of any monitoring of their...

    • Reasonable adjustments
    • Enhanced pay
    • Case law

    Six important employment law cases in 2017

    by Laura Merrylees 28 Jul 2017
    by Laura Merrylees 28 Jul 2017

    The decision by the Supreme Court that the employment tribunal fees system is unlawful may be one of the most...

    • Reasonable adjustments
    • Childcare
    • Case law

    Five important employment law cases in 2016… and five more to come

    by Stephen Simpson 21 Jul 2016
    by Stephen Simpson 21 Jul 2016

    Your annual summer round-up of the most important employment law cases 2016 has seen so far, and those still to come…

    • Alcohol and drug misuse
    • Absence
    • Discrimination

    Employers’ guide to Euro 2016: six ways to avoid an own goal

    by Clio Springer 24 May 2016
    by Clio Springer 24 May 2016

    How to make Euro 2016 work for you: the employers' guide to managing absence, avoiding discrimination and maintaining productivity during this summer's football...

    • Case law
    • Computer misuse
    • Human rights

    Employers can monitor private messages, ECHR rules

    by Jo Faragher 13 Jan 2016
    by Jo Faragher 13 Jan 2016

    Employers can justify reading workers’ private online messages, after a judgment yesterday in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)....

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