Stop Relying on Privacy When Using Work Apps
Your privacy is important, even if our concerns about it are often irrelevant . There is nothing more inappropriate than the technology we use at work. When you use office computers, phones, or other equipment, you shouldn’t expect privacy. And yet, many still do it. This is why it doesn’t make sense and what you can do if you want to talk off the record.
Work technology is not your technology
It’s tempting to think of a work laptop or smartphone as “yours,” but it’s not. Yes, you use them all the time, they come home with you, and you can even get your personal email on them. You surf the Internet when you travel, and maybe even your child uses your laptop. You sent personal emails from your work address or shared interesting stories and saved a lot of files in your work chat. As good as that is, don’t let this convenience lull you into a false sense of security (or privacy). Of course, it is unacceptable for your company to simply deactivate your account or collect your data without allowing you to get it back. up, but they will. It sucks, after all, but your company will claim ownership of the whole thing.
When I worked in IT, I saw this all the time. The worst days were when someone got laid off and the IT department had to deactivate their account before getting to work, or ripped their computer and phone off their desk while they were in a meeting. For some people, the work laptop was the main computer in the family, so everyone used it. Every time I had to solve a problem, I had to plunge into a maze of games their kids installed, music they bought and downloaded (entire iTunes libraries are gone), photos they saved over the years, and other personal information. files and effects. It was heartbreaking to open that computer to see all the data I would have had to back up, but they could never recover. It would be nice to think that your company will give you time to download files or wrap everything up nicely if you get fired or fired, but the truth is, this almost never happens .
This rule also applies to software. Every time I see people raising their heads in alarm because they find out that the chat program the company is using is being tracked or logged, or because their corporate email is archived, even if they use third-party tools like Slack (which just set up its privacy policy to allow team leaders to read chats ) or Gmail – I can’t help but shake my head. The information you save in any program that your company owns or pays to use, the emails you send, the files you download to your work computer, they all consider them theirs , not yours. If you assume that any information will be safe and will never be used against you, ditch the idea now while you can.
Your company has reasons to keep an eye on its tools
Your employer probably has reasons to keep an eye on the tools they give their employees . Some of them are good: legal issues require your company to archive emails and chats for a reasonable amount of time, in case they are summoned to court. When an employee leaves or leaves, they will most likely take a picture of the laptop as soon as they get it back. This ensures that they have a snapshot of all of the employee’s files and data – not in case you forgot something, but in case something happens and your boss needs your files, or the company suspects you of misdemeanors and must review your details. … The last security engineer I worked with monitored our company’s Exchange server every time someone emailed personal information (such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc.) in unencrypted form. In general, it’s all about protecting the company and its interests. These things make sense.
However, there are other dire reasons why companies monitor their employees as well. There are still too many companies using screen cleaner apps to keep track of employee activity. Other companies do not block social media, but track the use of these sites by their employees. Even some school districts have spied on students via webcams on school computers , and there is no reason to think employers are more benevolent. Too many companies still adhere to the archaic belief that employees need constant monitoring in order to be productive, or worse, that catching a bum, a waste of company time and resources, justifies demoralizing and dehumanizing everyone who works for you – even after of how research after research says the opposite. …
You can still maintain your privacy – just avoid work technologies and tools
While you shouldn’t expect privacy at work, there is no reason you can’t get a little if you need it. We’re not just talking about a quick conversation with your spouse. If you want to have an informal conversation with a colleague or talk to colleagues about a manager without worrying that that manager will see it, this is not impossible. There are several ways to get a seat:
- Take advantage of free third-party private chat tools : If your company keeps a log of your chats, just keep those private conversations on another service like Hangouts or WhatsApp. Basically, take it out of the company premises. If they are the annoying type and log everything you do on your computer, take it to your personal smartphone or consider a secure, encrypted chat program where you and your coworkers can actually talk off-the-record, like Gliph , ChatStep, or CryptoCat. …
- Always use your personal email for off-topic messages : This can be taken for granted, but if you’re setting up your next interview with your current company email account, don’t. Switch to your personal account and do not save or use your personal email on your work computer if you are worried that the company has it. Of course, even if you check your personal email on your phone while connected to a corporate Wi-Fi network, your employer can still get your messages, but the key here is to make sure you don’t lose important messages when you leave. (or if they let you go.) If you really want your emails to be private, on or off your corporate computer, you need to encrypt them .
- Back up your personal data regularly from your work computer : If you can’t avoid things like downloading music to your work computer or letting kids use it from time to time, at least make sure you delete all your data from it. regularly. Don’t install anything that might interfere with your chosen backup tool, but at least periodically copy everything to a USB stick. If allowed, you can also use tools like Dropbox or OneDrive to do this, since you can create your own “backup” account, save your data, and then deauthorize your work computer if you have one. Include everything that matters to you: contacts, downloads, files, email, and all that. You don’t want to quit without your contacts or any important additions to your portfolio. Do this every week or month.
- Communicate the old fashioned way : There’s a lot to be said for simply getting up and talking to coworkers when you need to go out and taking that out of your team’s chat channel or email list. Not only will it clear the air faster, your conversation will actually be private (unless someone overhears and if you trust whoever you’re talking to). If you need to leave the office, have lunch or go to the bar after work and then get it. At least in this case, you will not be left with any paper traces.
You can see the trend here. Whenever you get stuck using a work-related service or app and want a little privacy, use what you have, or at least what the company doesn’t own, instead . It’s not an absolute privacy guarantee, but it’s much better.
Experienced network and security engineers can find ways to get around all of this if it happens on their networks, and the last thing you should do is spend time trying to outsmart your company’s IT department. Not only will you fail (they have the time, resources, and experience to reveal whatever you’re trying to hide if they need to), but you will also waste a ton of time and energy in something that you are probably better off just leaving. with yourself, doing nothing or sharing an old-fashioned lifestyle.
All in all, there are ways not to write down if you have to at work, but don’t assume that your company or the tools they provide you with to get your job done will support them. Take matters into your own hands if you need to, or better yet, don’t expect that kind of privacy at work. Save this for later, when you’re at home with your own equipment, talk to friends and colleagues in private.