DAMN IT! Bosses spying on me.

[knotquiteawake]

with the remote access system we use to connect to customers computers to do tech support there apparently is a way for my supervisors to monitor my entire desktop while i'm logged into the system.
The thing is that i work at home and this is my PERSONAL flipping computer. I never agreed to any kind of monitoring!
The thing is that or them there is policy against personal e-mailing, web surfing, ect... which makes sense IN THE OFFICE. But at home? really?!
so, now i'll just keep EVERYTHING off on my computer and just use my netbook if I need to do anything personal.

also, its not like I can really bring it up, because if they have been watching then I've just opened that can of worms.

 

[knotquiteawake]

oh, i noticed it because I saw a message flash on the screen saying "remote monitoring is enabled" and the "notify tech when monitoring" was unchecked.

 

[MBasile]

with the remote access system we use to connect to customers computers to do tech support there apparently is a way for my supervisors to monitor my entire desktop while i'm logged into the system.
The thing is that i work at home and this is my PERSONAL flipping computer. I never agreed to any kind of monitoring!
The thing is that or them there is policy against personal e-mailing, web surfing, ect... which makes sense IN THE OFFICE. But at home? really?!
so, now i'll just keep EVERYTHING off on my computer and just use my netbook if I need to do anything personal.

also, its not like I can really bring it up, because if they have been watching then I've just opened that can of worms.

Yeah, but if you're working from home and are on the clock, isn't that the same as being at the office?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Yeah, but if you're working from home and are on the clock, isn't that the same as being at the office?

remotely.......

 

[uglygoat]

i'm guessing there is some sort of archaic corporate policy against midget goat pr0n...

 

[Evan!]

If you don't like it, you can always quit.

 

[JVD_X]

Well probably the policy is designed to monitor computers with the expectation that the machine is a business PC and not a home PC... so in all likelihood it is not intentional. In most cases they probably will state something like "well if you don't want us monitoring your home computer then use the laptop we provided for you to use at home".

 

[JVD_X]

Yeah, but if you're working from home and are on the clock, isn't that the same as being at the office?

Actually - it is not... courts have decided that employees retain expectations of privacy when working from home. Otherwise, there would be no reason why they couldn't have video cameras installed in your homes (whatever).

However, no such expectation exist when using a corporate laptop at home.

 

[knotquiteawake]

its a company with 6 people in it total and i'm the only person working remotely. I don't think its unintentional.
Working at home is WAY different that being at work, I have to wear pants at work. Also, I wouldn't mind the monitoring, IF I KNEW IT WAS HAPPENING! because i just would have used my laptop from the start

 

[DeathBrewer]

If they don't own the computer, I don't see how they could monitor it without your express permission. If they own it, well, it is their property and they can do whatever the **** they want with it.

 

[kanielb1]

If the app is running as a service, disable it. Look in your task manager and end the task. If you are at home and connecting to your work PC via remote desktop via your work vpn, then whatever desktop monitoring that your company does, they will be monitoring your remote desktop...your PC at work, not at home.

 

[IrregularPulse]

with the remote access system we use to connect to customers computers to do tech support there apparently is a way for my supervisors to monitor my entire desktop while i'm logged into the system.
The thing is that i work at home and this is my PERSONAL flipping computer. I never agreed to any kind of monitoring!
The thing is that or them there is policy against personal e-mailing, web surfing, ect... which makes sense IN THE OFFICE. But at home? really?!
so, now i'll just keep EVERYTHING off on my computer and just use my netbook if I need to do anything personal.

also, its not like I can really bring it up, because if they have been watching then I've just opened that can of worms.

If they don't own the computer, I don't see how they could monitor it without your express permission. If they own it, well, it is their property and they can do whatever the **** they want with it.

Thats it right there. If they want access to it to monitor it, they need to supply you with a PC. If it's your PC that you purchased, tell them It got a virus and is dead, they need to supply you with another one to do your job.

And just because you didn't notice that you agreed to the monitoring, doesn't mean you didn't unless you went through you contract with a lawyer. Our contract has a nice little "any other duties deemed necessary" clause meaning, "Not in my job description" doesn't exist.

 

[DeathBrewer]

And just because you didn't notice that you agreed to the monitoring, doesn't mean you didn't unless you went through you contract with a lawyer. Our contract has a nice little "any other duties deemed necessary" clause meaning, "Not in my job description" doesn't exist.

That only goes so far, tho. I think that is in all job descriptions, but there ARE things that are beyond our job descriptions and that isn't going to get them out of a fight in court.

I see what you mean, tho. There may be something that states they are allowed to access all work-related softare/hardware...whatever.

I'd keep my desktop as all furry porn.

 

[knotquiteawake]

we use LogMeIn Rescue to connect to client computers. As long as i;m logged into that system they can connect to my desktop as well. So there is no way to turn that off as long as i am working.

Because the company has 6 people in it I'm really hesitant to bring it up right now. It could make things REALLY AWKWARD.

 

[kanielb1]

If I am not mistaken, LogMeIn runs a service. You should be able to disable that service.

 

[knotquiteawake]

if i disable the service then i can't connect to the client computers.

 

[Evan!]

That's strange that the boss(es) of a 6-person firm would want to spy on their employees.

 

[mmb]

If I am not mistaken, LogMeIn runs a service. You should be able to disable that service.

Sounds like he needs it to service customers....

Time for another boxen under the desk and a second monitor...

 

[kanielb1]

if i disable the service then i can't connect to the client computers.

Yes you can. I use logmein all the time to connect to my parents PC. I do not have the app installed. However, I am using the free version.

Are you required to work remotely? If so, your company has to furnish you a PC. If they do not, then legally, they cannot spy on your personal computer. If you are working from home because you do not want to go in...I guess that is a different story.

 

[DeathBrewer]

I guess the real question is...did they catch you sleeping on the job, or knot?

 

[Joos]

If the app is running as a service, disable it. Look in your task manager and end the task. If you are at home and connecting to your work PC via remote desktop via your work vpn, then whatever desktop monitoring that your company does, they will be monitoring your remote desktop...your PC at work, not at home.

Ding!Thats it.You can set up 2 different connectios(vpn and personal)and you should be all set.Unless of course by "monitoring" you mean they are using the program to tunnel into your pc,and not just what your doing on their network.

 

[knotquiteawake]

i live 1200 miles from the main office, i kind of have to work remotely.
I might bring up the remote monitoring when i go to the main office in October for a week (although, my guess is if they had issues about my personal browsing while at work that they might be waiting for me to be at the main office to chew me out on it).

oh and to make things more complicated, my dad started and owns the company and is the kind who doesn't cut breaks (if anything would be harder) on family members.

 

[knotquiteawake]

I guess the real question is...did they catch you sleeping on the job, or knot?

that IS the question... although, not "sleeping" but whatever else on company time... Now that i'm wise to it i'm safe from now on, because i've got a little netbook i can use for e-mail or surfing with its ittybitty 7.9in screen.

 

[IrregularPulse]

there apparently is a way for my supervisors to monitor my entire desktop while I'm logged into the system.

I wouldn't quite go accusing anyone yet just cause they have the capability of spying, doesn't mean they are.
Technically I have the ability ******* in my cube cause I'm in a corner that nobody ever comes back to, doesn't mean I do!

 

[knotquiteawake]

the process just reloads itself. a second computer is the only option now.

 

[knotquiteawake]

I wouldn't quite go accusing anyone yet just cause they have the capability of spying, doesn't mean they are.
Technically I have the ability ******* in my cube cause I'm in a corner that nobody ever comes back to, doesn't mean I do!

I've gotten a couple offhand remarks from them that made me wonder if they were...but I didn't think they could so i passed it off as nothing.

 

[JVD_X]

the process just reloads itself. a second computer is the only option now.

Not quite... installing a second copy of an OS inside a VMWare instance will take care of the monitoring of the personal "host" machine.

 

[knotquiteawake]

oh well, in an hour and 15min i'll be logged off and enjoying a homebrew to forget all about it

 

[Ashz]

Ok, I am REALLY confused. Your father owns the company? Did I read this right? So who is your boss? Why would you be using your personal computer for business? A few of the statements here are confusing to me. At any rate. Heres how I handle it.

Laptop - company provided, company owned. VPN to access company database's, servers etc. with this laptop I have a cingular wireless card they provided, sucks bad. Anyway my activities on this computer while in the network are all work related. If I am out of the VPN, I will come on websites like this. I will not, look at anything I would not want my mother looking over my shoulder and seeing.

Desktops, two boxes. XP machine and Linux box. Both of these are MY COMPUTER's. I CAN do company work on them via VPN if need be, sometimes I don't like to use my laptop via wireless to remote into customer computers. Anyway, You can be sure that nothing is getting installed on my personal computers or I would raise hell.

So my questions above still stand, why are you doing this work on a personal comp? If your dad is the owner/operator of the company tell him to fedex your a$$ a laptop double time. I know that different situations require different solutions, but in my opinion you are looking at more than just some awkward conversations if this is your only computer. Just my two cents.

Ps stay away from the midget porn till you get this sorted out.

 

[DeathBrewer]

I got some good tentacle vids I could send you. Give me your addy