Cyberveillance

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Whatever position employers take on notification, those who monitor say their technology is worth it and offer some sobering numbers. A survey by the Computer Security Institute and the FBI found that 71% of respondents had detected unauthorized access to systems by insiders and that 79% had detected employee abuse of Internet privileges. In 1995 Chevron Corp. paid $2.2 million to four female employees who asserted that they had been sexually harassed because of jokes sent through the company network. For abuses to end, snooping proponents argue, monitoring must take place. Eaton, an A.C.L.U. member who supports notification laws, touts his product's positive and practical uses: "It can not only prove guilt--it can prove innocence."

But as the technology advances, so will the demand for privacy in the e-workplace. Until a new balance is struck, however, you'd better start leaving the building when you want to talk trash about your boss. And don't forget to look over your shoulder.