LG John

Cheers again guys

At the moment I don't know very much but if (and more likely 'when') I get hauled up for the 'chat' I'm going to defend myself on two ground seperately.

First I will defend the issue of **** (this assumes they don't find stuff I don't know about (i.e stuff to set me up!)). The only sites I visit are scoobynet, the clio forum and a r/c helicopter forum which are all moderated and are enthusiast sites for things non-**** related. I may click on links from those sites sometimes but I rely on the moderation of those sites as one anti-**** filter and the Council's Websense system as the 2nd filter - reasonable I feel and if anything dodgy did come up I'd close it down. I never do google searched for sites and never type site names into the url window. I really am that boring in that I read the same few sites. The only other thing is google image searches and I'm pretty sure I can prove that all searches I've done have been using words that 'should not' bring up ****. Recent examples:

"Saxo Boy" - for muppet thread
"Geek" - to take the pish out of a muppet
"Lightening" - for a cool desktop picture
"Poker" - for a cool desktop picture (I'm a poker player)(sounds dodgy but put it in now, there is no **** in first 5 pages)

I feel I have no case to answer on the **** count given that I have never knowingly or delibrately viewed any and that any pictures that have slipped through to being displayed on my screen would have to come past well moderated sites and past Websense.

Second Internet use and, if they raise the issue, email use. I do have a case to answer here. My use of the internet has been over the allocated times per week and on occassion out with the flexi time hours (i.e. core hours). I've also used email for personal purposes for 3 years but delete anything sent to me that is dodgy. I'll put my hand up and admit to all of this but if they want to screw me over for it they, IMHO and based on the advice above, have to do so to everyone else in the council. I assure you that nearly everyone uses email for personal purposes - even my line manager. Also, most people in my office have a minimum 30 minutes for lunch and will 'surf' during that time. On the basis that the 1 hour personal net use per week factors out to 12 minutes a day they will also be over the allowance but admittedly not to the degree that I am.

I know I've not been a model employee but I have been getting my work done and I won't have an example made of me. I've got £7k sitting in the bank left over from the scooby sale and I'm willing to use it to fight a legal case if there is one to fight.

Keep the advice coming

Leslie

I read in the paper yesterday that the latest trick from the hackers is to use viruses with which thay can download whatever they wish onto your computer including **** of course. This is a real worry naturally and if you make this clear at the interview then they will have something else to think about!

The fact that you have not used your credit card for downloads must be on your side and it is down to them to prove your guilt of course. Deny all knowledge of it all.

Good luck anyway.

Les

SiDHEaD

Leslie:

Hackers wouldn't really be able to access his pc in this instance unless they were in his office (or at the premises somewhere).

Andy

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

Sorry to hear this Saxo, I have nothing to add except I have seen to many threads like this recently. On Monday I will be going over my PC and removing any non work related files. I will also stop surfing the net other than before/ after work or during my lunch.

good luck.

ajm

Interestingly I did an audit on one of our file servers some months back and held a "file amnesty" for people to get rid of crap on their home drives. Afterwards there was about 30Gb more space, and this was on a server only used by about 70 people!

Most things were attachments saved from email, for example there were loads of copies of Kylies lingerie ad mpeg! <geek>From an IT point of view I would have preferred them to have left the attachments in the email system because Exchange only stores one incident of the same file if it is sent to multiple people, so it would have taken up much less space....</geek>

SiDHEaD

Hmm we just buy more space when the users fill it up with crap.

I really can't see the problem with ScoobyNet surfing as long as i get my work done - which i do. Then again, I'd remove the "log auditing info" tick from the "unrestricted users" webusers on the firewall if i thought there was a problem.

I have no content filtering applied to me, but i manage to not go on dodgy stuff so i'd be ok there also.

SB: I really hope they just give you a slapped wrist regarding "too much usage", but then if you're getting the work done... They'd have to be pretty stupid to try and pin "**** surfing" on you from a few sparse linked images.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Hopefully common sense will prevail, however I always get worried when HR departments start flexing, its like a game to them, playing with somebody's life so they can use their 'powers'. I think you should fight to the death and use that seven grand to get a solicitor, a lot of management types walk the walk but when it comes down to it they dont know the law and a good employment law solicitor will have them dissapearing up their own arseholes. First tack would be to admit nothing but say you wont do it again, drop it into the conversation about the legal representation, after that set the solicitor on them big style, get one sorted now, take a days leave to sort it if not suspended, you NEED to keep your job, my mate still hasnt got anything 8 months later (he is pretty lazy though).

Good luck, I came through this unscathed so I dont see why you wont either, bloody hell Scoobynet is a PITA, now I am worrying about SB's job and I have never met him, weird.

LG John

LOL, but you luv me really J4CKO

The real irony is that scoobynet is what got me into this situation but has the knowledge and experience on it to get me out of it

unclebuck

I've got a 120Gb firewire drive that I keep all my 'non official' files on. This is my property and I take it home at night. In the event that they wanted to confiscate my hard drive (not that it's ever been raised) would have no jurisdiction over this device.

UB

john_s

iTrader: (1)

Don't forget that you have a right to be accompanied by someone if they arrange a disciplinary hearing for you.

I'd suggest you consider taking a solicitor (or someone from your union if you belong to one) if it comes to a formal disciplinary hearing; it will (a) show them that you are VERY serious about fighting them and (b) mean that they will have to follow both their own and legal procedures to the letter, or they will be setting themselves up for problems at a later date.

John.

SiDHEaD

UB: Good idea BUT in that case i hope your internet cache is based on that drive. Then of course there is still the firewall/proxy logs.


Andy

LG John

Well today will no doubt bring some 'news' Wish me luck

ex-webby

Saxo Boy

If you need any official support from scoobynet, I would be happy to explain our policies and moderation procedures which attempt to make this kind of thing impossible to happen. It could be seen that these procedures and policies are the reason why you are comfortable viewing scoobynet from your work PC. IF indeed the pictures came from scoobynet (which in itself is fairly unlikely, although possible) it would be that something slipped through the net.

In my view, common sense would have to show that you were not "downloading ****", you were simply caught out completely accidentally.

Apologies if this is way off topic, as I haven't been able to read the whole thread.

All the best

Simon

Suresh

Good luck!

Brun

Good Luck SB
Good call Simon

jasey

Good Luck SB.

Always remember if your gonna get sacked it's better to be sacked for hitting someone that for viewing ****

disclaimer: This is HUMOUR not ADVICE

tonybooth

As I haven't read all the thread I hope no-one has suggested this one -

If the council uses WebSense why not argue that the council has a duty to protect you as an employee from **** and other such tasteless imagery whilst at work.

You could also argue that WebSense can't possibly configured correctly for allowing such material through.

TONY

SiDHEaD

They had LOL

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

It is pointless telling him to delete his cache files or erase his HD because it will be listed on the Web server logs where he has been and which pictures where downloaded or viewed and at what time.

I was fired by my old company for an email of the simpsons in different states of ****, according to th edictionary defenition of **** cartoon caharaccters can not be classed as pornographic.

I was fired and upon a ppeal the termination was upheld I went to CAB and industrial tribuneral and won for unfair dismissal.

Sorry Kenny can't be more helpful but you wil ljust have to ride this one out and hope you get the support from your line manager.

philc

- quite a good idea to get union representation. I also work for a local authority and anyone getting 'bagged' gets a much fairer hearing if the union rep shows up.
- I've never been a union member, but in these strange politically correct days it's a very tempting thought to have someone in my corner who knows all the processes and procedures during these incidents.
- Don't know if NUPE or ASTMS are still going in the UK or whether they got 'thatchered' out of existence in the '80's.

There should be something around for local authority staff.

SiPie

Kenny

Not posting much today mate ????

Only joking dude.... hope all is well

eClaire

I am too scared to email him just incase! Quite worried!

I got busted for SN earlier in the week (not **** ). Boss said I was to curb my usage and only go on during my lunch hour. Got off pretty lightly compared to poor SB

ProperCharlie

i think i'll email all staff informing them that websense is to be installed on our servers with the next seven days.

jasey

Another interesting defence - that has just come to me - is that of "I'm a saddo and like to spend my "spare" time on the web rather than gassing ****e and bitching about my bosses with my boring work colleagues" - Unless of course you do that too which could make things worse .

LG John

That is very kind of you Simon and depending on the outcome of events I may ask of you/Scoobynet to be involved in that capacity

Today has brought no news My HD is still with IT and I spent the day doing site visits and reading the sun newspaper - being careful to skip past page 3

I told everyone in the office why my HD was gone and it took 5 minutes to convince them I wasn't joking as they found it so absurd! It seems I've got the full support of my peers who also recognise the fact that I'm never in the room on my own and that my PC is overlooked by 3 other work stations, etc. I guess its just a waiting game until I see what IT comes back with.

Interestingly I did see the internal auditing lass out in the car park and I was very tempted to run her down given the 'you're guilty' look she gave me on Friday. I figured this might not help my case though

jasey

disclaimer: This is HUMOUR not ADVICE

ClassicScoobyJay

Saxo Boy - all the best. Hope things work out in your favour.

Just as a general point of interest and for future reference, if anyone wants to view a non-business related site at work - where theres a chance that content thats against company policy might be linked - try going via www.guardster.com .

It encrypts the URL and tunnels the content in a frame directly to your PC via SSL (the same technology used with online banking etc). If you also select: 'Do not save encrypted pages to disk' in your advanced IE options, you are completely covered.

It's pretty slow as it's a public, shared gateway but better than being caught out for something you haven't actually done.

Nog

WebSense - natty bit of kit. Our WebSense server comes under my jurisdiction. The reporting engine knocks out some good reports too.

Sorry, that's not helping, is it?

speedking

Access to this web page is restricted at this time.

Reason:
The Company name category "Proxy Avoidance" is filtered.

jjones

that guardster has some pop-ups that have set AVG off