Internet Blocking and Filtering

Monitor employees' surfing habits in order to boost their performance

The Internet has created innumerable opportunities for small business. But it has also created new challenges, one of which is the problem of unauthorized and potentially harmful or costly Web surfing by employees.

Many companies, small and large alike, monitor employees' computer usage. Some even control it, choosing which sites their staff can and can't see, in an effort to promote efficiency and preserve security. You might consider blocking or filtering certain Web sites from your own network in order to:

1. Check employee productivity
2. Protect your network from viruses
3. Improve your network's performance
4. Keep your proprietary information private.

Recognize the risk

The first step in Internet blocking and filtering is understanding how uncontrolled Web surfing can affect your business.

Evaluate your needs

Do you need to know when your employees are online, what Web sites they're visiting and more? Or do you only want to keep employees off of gaming, shopping and adult sites?

Learn your rights and risks

You can legally control Internet usage without employee consent or knowledge. In fact, if you don't, you can be held liable if an employee is accessing material that offends his or her peers. Be mindful, however, of the fine line between responsible filtering and restrictive filtering; the best managers trust their employees and respect their privacy.

Develop an Internet usage policy

Don't just let your software do the work of filtering. Establish policies that outline what kinds of sites should be accessed at work and which shouldn't, and rely on your employees to self-censor.

Select software or a Web-based solution

Most filtering software combines monitoring with blocking, and costs between $300 and $600. Web-based solutions may do the same for less.

• Before you invest in a filtering solution, take it for a test drive; most vendors offer a free download of their software that's good for a short trial period.
• Inevitably, an employee will accidentally access a restricted site. When you're monitoring Internet usage, leave room for occasional mistakes.
• It's not enough to filter Web sites. To stay secure, you must also guard against unwanted content and files in employees' emails and on their hard drives; start by installing good anti-virus software on all office computers.
• Beware: Web-blocking software might unintentionally block sites that are useful to your employees. Be willing and able to develop a white list of approved sites that are mistakenly blocked.

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