Internet Liability Risks
Insurance is a word that stirs mixed emotions. We know we need it, but until we use it (if ever) it feels like we're paying into a black hole. That's the beauty of our products. The productivity gains and bandwidth savings alone more than justify the cost of our products, versus the benefits gained. However, you get the side benefit of adding an additional layer of protection against the legal pitfalls that can arise from the viewing of inappropriate material at work. It's like getting Insurance for Free!
The Internet is a vast world of valuable information. However, most of us are aware that Pornography and other objectionable materials are pervasive throughout the Internet. Viewing these sites at work exposes a company to hostile workplace lawsuits that cost companies an average of $500,000 in legal and settlement fees nationwide. According to MSNBC, the likelihood of such a lawsuit can be high, as one in five men and one in eight women admitted using their work computers as their primary means to access sexually explicit material online.
Since the Internet is still so young, many companies are ill prepared to address this issue. Internet usage polices are great ideas, but those policies alone won't protect a company. Like many risks that face companies today, many tools must be employed to mitigate exposure.
Installing Internet access on every computer in your company without access control is like playing legal Russian roulette.
