`How to Draft an Effective Internet Policy'.

`How to Draft an Effective Internet Policy'.



WHY DOES MY ORGANIZATION NEED AN EFFECTIVE INTERNET POLICY?

It doesn't matter whether your organization employees just a single part-time worker or hundreds of thousands of full-time staff, granting access to the Internet via your corporate system places your organization's assets, reputation and even its very existence at risk.

According to emarketer.com 32.6% of workers surf the Internet without a specific objective. businessweek.com suggest that as much as 40% of lost productivity is due to personal Internet use.

Misuse of the Internet, whether it be accidental or intentional, costs money and could impact your
organization's bottom line.


WHY?

Regardless of how the Internet is misused, a monetary cost is almost always the inevitable consequence in one form or another.

Loss of productivity caused by staff using the corporate Internet access for personal use has been highly publicized and the impact should not be underestimated.

However, use of the Internet whether it be for bona-fide business purposes or personal use can also expose the organization to other legal, reputational and IT risks, arising from:

* the downloading of material of an offensive nature
* unauthorized downloading of copyrighted software, music, video or other files
* increased vulnerability to the introduction of viruses to the corporate network
* posting inappropriate messages on newsgroups and bulletin boards using the employee's corporate email address
* breach of confidential information using web-based Internet email systems or Instant Messaging services

INFORMATION BREACH
A breach of confidential information is likely to result in competitive disadvantage - it could lead to the loss a specific sales contract, market share, or provide opportunities for a competitor to exploit that information at your organization's expense.

LEGAL ACTION

Similarly, legal action brought about as a consequence of misuse, such as breach of copyright or sexual harassment caused by the downloading and distribution of pornographic material may lead to severe financial penalties imposed by a court.
EMPLOYEE RISKS

It is also important to note that inexperienced or disgruntled employees are not the only ones who can expose an organization to these risks - senior or other experienced employees are just as likely to, intentionally or otherwise.

Further detail and examples highlighting the need for an effective Internet Policy can be found at
www.internet-policy.org

SUMMARY

An effective Internet Policy establishes a comprehensive set of rules and guidelines to enable your organization to manage the risks, allowing you to communicate the tandards and behaviors expected of employees.

So now we've established the necessity of an Internet Policy regardless of your organization's characteristics (large, small, operating in a regulated or unregulated industry, etc.), how do you go about drafting one?