|
Web Porn in the Workplace
10-22-2007, 01:03 PM
|
Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 5,662
Name: John Alexander
|
Don't know if anyone saw it, but Friday's USA Today had a cover story on porn in the workplace. For those who aren't familiar with US law, employers can be sued for creating or allowing a " hostile work environment". This is probably the case in a lot of countries.
The article was saying that it's becoming more and more difficult for companies to enforce and they're terrified of getting sued. It said with cell phone access to the internet, and people bringing PDAs and personal laptops, that corporations are unable to prevent it. Most of them use software to monitor employee's net useage and to blocks sites they don't like. But this isn't possible when people have their own gear.
What I thought was strange is how this seems like much ado about nothing. If someone is looking at porn on their phone, they ought to be working, but if no one else can see it to prevent it, no one else can see it to be offended, right?
Not saying employers don't have the right to get what they pay for, and to prevent nastyness on their property. But that seemed odd to me. But then it points to a bigger issue, so I wanted to see what other people's thoughts are on all of this stuff? |
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 01:38 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 2,898
Location: Canada
|
Porn is a part of our existence for thousands of years since cave man depicted first image of sexual act.
This kind of working place problem would be easily solved if some people in US follow European attitude
and stopped treating porn as an “immoral” activity
fastreplies
Last edited by fastreplies; 10-22-2007 at 01:39 PM..
|
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 04:29 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 1,222
Location: Middle England
|
I've always believed that companies should formulate their own usage policies. Give people net access and they will use it for their own purposes anyway so making laws just makes it harder for companies to control what's going on in their own premises.
I think porn is just neing used as a scapegoat here, I'd say more hours are spend surfing eBay, checking personal email accounts etc in which case companies should be allowed to restrict/monitor usage as they see fit - if you break company rules and get caught you get disciplined/fired.
|
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 06:11 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 5,935
Name: Adam for web page design, not program
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
|
As stupid as it sounds, as someone who is in charge of IT in various capacities, I actually encourage people to use porn in the workplace.
Why? fastreplies actually touched on it...a number of people view as taboo or forbidden or immoral. By doing so, porn becomes more appealing in some ways and people often try to look at it because it's "underground".
So my tactic is to say "you wanna look? Here's thehun.net. And when (not if, but when) the sites on it crash the computer, I have to fix it, you miss a deadline, and your employer cans your ***, then you won't want to look any more."
In most cases, the speech does the job. I tell them it's okay, but I tell them the consequences (in an oversimplified tin foil hat sort of way) and they might look at a few things and generally get bored with it.
Which leads to the other issue...most porn looks the same. Yes, I have looked at porn in the past, and after a while it starts to run together. Let's face it, there are only so many orifices for a girl to insert the double-headed SuperVibe Stimulator 7500 With MaxPleasure (TM). Whether it's conscious or subconscious, people will usually start to realize this after a while.
Now, this isn't a tactic that can be used in all circumstances. Some people do form addictions and will have issues that way. But if it isn't porn, it'll be drinking. And if it isn't drinking, it'll be women. And if it isn't women, it'll be (insert vice here). You take away one, another one eventually will substitute itself.
|
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 06:59 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 2,898
Location: Canada
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ADAM Web Design
As stupid as it sounds, as someone who is in charge of IT in various capacities, I actually encourage people to use porn in the workplace
|
You should give them cell phone and send them away to the washroom for 5 minutes, 
I will bet after that their productivity, at the very least, would be doubled 
fastreplies |
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 07:01 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 5,662
Name: John Alexander
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ADAM Web Design
Some people do form addictions and will have issues that way. But if it isn't porn, it'll be drinking. And if it isn't drinking, it'll be women. And if it isn't women, it'll be (insert vice here). You take away one, another one eventually will substitute itself.
|
This is actually a point I like to bring up in a very different debate. Humans are adictable by our nature. We get hooked on drugs ( like alcohol and coffee and tobacco and sugar - yes, sugar is a foreign chemical that alters your state of alertness and causes withdrawal symptoms) pretty easily. Every human on the planet is addicted to some form of behavior. A lot of people get hooked on sex as a way to prove to themselves they're worth something, just like a lot of people eat for emotional reasons instead of hunger. I'm sure you can tell what conclusion this brings me to.
What do people think of the hostile workplace theory? Let's say I'm sitting here watching a girl boink a donkey like in 40 Year Old Virgin. And then let's say a woman walks by and is offended, or uncomfortable, or feels like a sexual target. Personally I think since just about everyone needs a job to stay alive then we have a right to expect decent standards at work. No radioactive stuff dripping from the roof, things like that.
But it seems like maybe things are getting just a little too carried away. It would be awful if a rape victim walked by someone enjoying bad porn. But I don't really see a problem if no one sees someone enjoying bad porn, and if they have so much free time and so on. Outside of making other people feel uncomfortable I think pornography isn't really any worse than reading the New York Times. |
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 07:21 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 10,017
Location: Tennessee
|
If you're at work, you should be WORKING - not looking at porn. I have a pretty thick skin, it takes a lot to offend me, but I don't want to walk by some guy's cube and see porn in the workplace - it does NOT belong there.
Having said that, things in the US ARE getting quite ridiculous in terms of going out of your way to NOT offend someone else. We've become a nation of thin-skinned whiners that expect the government, or some other entity, to do things FOR us rather than doing things for OURSELVES. When I was a kid the saying was 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me' .. Americans need to remember that - forget the psycho-babble BS that names, or other language, is damaging to your psyche, you'll be forever harmed by a WORD. GET OVER IT !!!! Grow a thicker skin. Move on, forget it, take the source into consideration - is that person important to you ?? Probably not.
"Politically Correct" is garbage, I'm sick to death of it. I'm tired of having to 'avoid' all kinds of things because "someone" might be offended.
While I agree that the US is a nation of prudes - many hypocritcal ones at that - throwing porn into the faces of the public isn't the solution. We've been hiding behind the puritanical skirts for a few centuries, it's not going to change overnight. It just doesn't belong in the workplace - it's a distraction and that's not what your employer is paying you to do.
__________________
Web Goddess & Web Standards Evangelist :) - Tables Be Gone !!
Please login or register to view this content. Registration is FREE
Please login or register to view this content. Registration is FREE
|
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 07:46 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 5,662
Name: John Alexander
|
Curious, LNR - do you think porn at work is the same or worse than say reading the sports news?
I actually think it's a little bit worse. Really my main objection is the same as yours, that nobody I've ever heard of gets hired to look at porno. But then, my mom used to almost sing "sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me" like a TV jingle, I don't think the sports pages are ever gonna hurt anyone, but I think people have issues and porn can set those off. Maybe I'm being too politically correct but I think people who are offended by the sight of two sweaty naked people getting it on, should be able to expect none of it at work. Which is a wierd stance for me because normally I'm super liberal and don't mind what other people do.
|
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 07:47 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 9,007
Name: Tim Daily
Location: Apex, NC, US, Sol 3
|
AMEN, LnR!!!  (You deserve a ton of TP for that post, hint, hint...I would, but have to spread some around first.)
This is what is known as the fallacy of the straw man--the issue isn't porn, it's our overly-litigious society. Ask Don't Sue People Panda, employers are scared ****less of being sued these days if someone gets a paper cut. A uniform policy of, "you're on the clock, you're working" takes care of much across the board, as LnR pointed out.
But it will take all of us to demand that frivolous lawsuits be thrown out to solve the larger issue. Know who your judges are, and in some cases your politicians who appoint them. |
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 07:57 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 2,898
Location: Canada
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Learning Newbie
sight of two sweaty naked people getting it on
|
go on Newbie.... talk to me baby.... don't stop.... tell me more.... 
fastreplies |
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 09:39 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 5,489
Name: Kandi
Location: Western NY
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by serandfae
AMEN, LnR!!! (You deserve a ton of TP for that post, hint, hint...I would, but have to spread some around first.)
This is what is known as the fallacy of the straw man--the issue isn't porn, it's our overly-litigious society. Ask Don't Sue People Panda, employers are scared sh**less of being sued these days if someone gets a paper cut. A uniform policy of, "you're on the clock, you're working" takes care of much across the board, as LnR pointed out.
But it will take all of us to demand that frivolous lawsuits be thrown out to solve the larger issue. Know who your judges are, and in some cases your politicians who appoint them. |
I have to jump on this bandwagon! If more people worried more about doing their jobs and making the company that employs them successful we would enjoy a much different workplace that would require many less rules. My grandfather taught me "if you are being paid to do a job, it doesn't matter what the job is, whether you are the boss or you are slinging ****, or whether you are being paid a nickel or a million dollars, you do the best you can do."
Porn does not belong in the workplace unless you work in the adult industry. Period. If you are on your lunch - on your own equipment - you aren't breaking any laws - you are in a place that no one else is going to inadvertently stumble upon you - and it isn't going to negatively effect your job performance for the remainder of the day .... I suppose that is a different matter. |
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 10:40 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 3,023
Name: Forrest Croce
Location: Seattle, WA
|
Honestly, I just try to get my work done so I can leave. I don't watch porn videos ... I don't even read a book when I'm on the clock. That has nothing to do with sexuality; I want a raise.
Kandi: the company I work for has 40 to 50 employees, a pretty small shop. Everybody is hand picked ... part of why I got the job, apart from my coding, is that I've read several of the same books my boss has, like The Tipping Point. You'll never hear me stop talking that one up. We don't have an explicit policy against pornography or any of the other examples that have been raised. They expect us to know what's reasonable and what's not. So far a few dozen other people also haven't disappointed them.
A lot of the smaller companies I've worked for have been like that. It's not that any of them would tolerate it ... it's obvious enough to go without saying. Some of the larger companies - one of the big insurers for example - would put every employee through half day training sessions in privacy, sexual harassment, general ethics, personally identifiable information, etc. Below a certain point, Steve and Malcolm will say 150 people, everyone seems to know each other well enough not to have to ask.
|
|
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 11:01 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 5,489
Name: Kandi
Location: Western NY
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ForrestCroce
Kandi: the company I work for has 40 to 50 employees, a pretty small shop.
|
I work for a non-profit with 29 employees. Our Internet/Email policy is extremely loose - basically it's meant for the business of the agency - whole policy. |
|
|
|
|
10-23-2007, 05:38 AM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 2,111
Name: Matt. (>',')>
Location: London, England.
|
Maybe it's just an uninformed observation from a foreigner, But do Americans walk around looking for reasons to sue people?
If i was to sue an employer over here for inadvertently exposing me to naked ladies the Judge would tell me to grow up, At least i hope he would.
|
|
|
|
|
10-23-2007, 09:43 AM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 240
|
I feel the work place should be dedicated to official work. If the company looks after some porn related business, then it is perfectly ok to watch porn during office time. If not, let the guys and gals who want to enjoy have sufficient time out side the office so that they will concentarte on their work afetr their sojourn.
|
|
|
|
|
10-23-2007, 12:47 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 5,662
Name: John Alexander
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by stOx
Maybe it's just an uninformed observation from a foreigner, But do Americans walk around looking for reasons to sue people?
If i was to sue an employer over here for inadvertently exposing me to naked ladies the Judge would tell me to grow up, At least i hope he would.
|
Honest answer? Yeah, some of us do. A political columnist with a sense of humor once wrote that tort reform "takes the fun out of having your life ruined by a multi billion dollar corporation".
But to be clear and not give the wrong impression. If I saw a naked young lady at work and sued, the judge would throw it out too. If I saw the pictures or movies or whatever at work and complained to human resources and nothing happened and the problem continued, I would have a chance to prevail in court. The courts won't have much sympathy for a heterosexual man who sees a nude lady, unless he's a religious extremist of some type, actually believes Jesus literally about gouging out your eye to get into heaven, or a member of the Taliban.
Being able to sue over sexual harassment ( check out the link to Wikipedia for hostile work environment) is mainly a protection for women. The theory is that because such a vast majority of upper tier managers are men, and because these are the people who control who gets promoted and who doesn't, and because this has too often been used to coerce women into sexual relations they don't want, the pendulum has swung in the other direction. I don't think it's illegal against my boss if I see a naughty picture, but if he knows about it and knows that it's intimidating people in the office, making them feel that their job performance is being evaluated at least partially on their sexual everything.
Things are getting out of hand if that USA Today story is any indication. But I do think the logic is valid. |
|
|
|
|
10-23-2007, 02:38 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 2,898
Location: Canada
|
I think the problem with porno hype and sex in general in America has been rooted in nation deep religious belief and puritanical following of the Bible by people who believe that sex was given to people by God not for pleasure but for procreation only.
Now image millions of sexually deprived and frustrated men AND women who hates the rest of us because we are in love with sex and have no problems to get laid any time, any where, any how and in any way we want, whereas you can tell how many times they had sex by counting how many children they have.
Now put yourself under their skin and you will do the only thing they can to avenge their miserable lives by going after the whole world with vengeance just to make the rest of us as miserable as they are.
The only solution they have is their government that shares theirs sick poppy syndrome values and made the laws that punish SEX. No, this is not a typo, this is exactly what they are after. But because you cannot outlaw the act even in America, they are going after the next best thing, the depiction.
They don’t care to have The President in the White House, they want in there an inquisition priest, Ayatollah, someone who will give them the power and to support their cause, someone who has no brains beyond the Bible and who will pay them back by appointing Supreme Court Judges who will make sure that America will be 400 years behind the rest of Civilized World.
fastreplies
Last edited by fastreplies; 10-23-2007 at 02:39 PM..
|
|
|
|
|
10-23-2007, 02:49 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 5,662
Name: John Alexander
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by fastreplies
I think the problem with porno hype and sex in general in America has been rooted in nation deep religious belief and puritanical following of the Bible by people who believe that sex was given to people by God not for pleasure but for procreation only.
|
I do agree that violence is far more damaging to society, and to individuals who witness it, than all the sex in history put together. |
|
|
|
|
10-23-2007, 06:15 PM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 164
Location: Buzau / Romania
|
From my view if i cought one of my employ at the job with online porn or on pc porn or a magazine he is FIRED
|
|
|
|
|
10-24-2007, 12:05 AM
|
Re: Web Porn in the Workplace
|
Posts: 2,898
Location: Canada
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by w3bmaster
From my view if i cought one of my employ at the job with online porn or on pc porn or a magazine he is FIRED
|
What if he is doing that on his coffee break or after he finished washing
the floors, cleaning windows, dusting the walls in record time and then took 5
to rest his brain by re-directing his blood flow to the lower part of his body?
fastreplies |
|
|
|
|
« Reply to Web Porn in the Workplace
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
