Twelve staff at a county council have been disciplined after more than 200 computers were found to hold ‘highly inappropriate’ images.
Managers instigated an investigation after a sweep of all Nottinghamshire County Council’s machines using specialist software discovered the problem, the BBC reports.
The council said the images were found on 232 of the 975 computers scanned, but were not illegal or of child abuse.
The pilot programme run on the council’s machines reviewed about 12% of the authority’s 8,500 computers, with the initial scanning identifying computers containing highly inappropriate images that had been viewed.
‘Highly inappropriate’ images are classed as those which include graphic nudity, sexual acts, extreme injury and mutilation, hate and violence.
Mick Burrows, Nottinghamshire County Council’s chief executive, said the viewing of inappropriate material was unacceptable, and the council was continuing to scan all council computers on a phased basis until all machines had been checked.
“We are dealing with the most serious cases and 12 staff have already been dealt with or are currently being dealt with using the council’s disciplinary procedure,” he said.
“We know that staff may receive inappropriate images in e-mails sent from outside the council, and we need to be sensible in the way we manage this.”
