Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 365 Terms acceptable use policy Internet protocol address cookies spyware firewall How can unacceptable Internet use by an employee affect a company as a whole? Objectives After completing this section, you will be able to: • Explain how employers ensure appropriate use of the Internet in a professional setting. • Describe the importance of digital security. Using the Internet An important aspect of digital citizenship is respecting your employer’s property and time. Internet access provided by the company should be used only for business purposes. For example, checking personal e-mail or playing a game online is not acceptable. Most companies have an established acceptable use policy. An acceptable use policy is a set of rules that explains what is and is not acceptable use of company-owned and company-operated equipment and networks. Employees are typically made aware of acceptable use policies during training, before they are allowed access to the company’s computers and network. Many organizations allow cloud computing to support collaboration and working remotely. Cloud computing is using remote servers or software applications to store and access data over the Internet rather than on a personal computer or local server. This allows users to access personal content, such as saved fi les, from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. Cloud computing makes private digital information accessible from any device. However, before using Internet access for cloud computing at work, make certain that your employer has given you permission to do so. Some companies and schools use fi lters that prevent unauthorized Internet surfi ng or visiting selected websites during working hours. If you have not been given explicit permission before accessing the cloud at work, it may be considered unauthorized use in the workplace. Censorship is the practice of examining material, such as online content, and blocking or deleting anything considered inappropriate. Employers are legally allowed to censor information that employees read on the Internet during work hours. Whether at work or home, each time you access a search engine or visit a web page, the computer’s identity is revealed. The Internet protocol address, known as an IP address, is a number used to identify an electronic device connected to the Internet. While your personal information cannot be easily discovered, an IP address can reveal your approximate geographic location. Any e-mails you send from your computer or mobile devices have an IP address attached to them. Use caution when doing so. Internet Use in the Workplace 15.2