solution

7.22 Creating Fair Digital Media Policies (Obj. 5)

As advances in computer technology continue to change the way we work and play, Internet use on and off the job has become a danger zone for employees and employers. Misuse costs employers millions of dollars in lost productivity and litigation, and it can cost employees their jobs. A survey by the American Management Association revealed that 26 percent of employers fired workers for e-mail misuse. In addition, 2 percent terminated employees for using instant messaging, and another 2 percent for posting offensive blog content from a company machine or, yes, the employee’s own computer.88 Companies struggle with fair Internet use policies knowing that over half of their employees with Web access shop online from the office.⁸⁹