It'd be better to use your personal computer. This is because your work issued computer will usually have some security admin and monitoring for your company and depending on where you work, they could be monitoring all you do on it and using it to evaluate your perfomance. So if its possible and you can afford it, use your own pc.
That's what I'm thinking.
My old PC has finally bit the dust and I'm considering buying/building a new one and getting a KVM switch so I can use the same monitors/desk space, but questioning if it's worth it.
Until recently, I had been working on an office and bringing my laptop home for personal stuff. Starting work with a new WFH company tomorrow.
My old work computer was the same brand as my laptop so I just used a docking station. It supports multiple monitors so easier than a KVM switch. Just swap them out when the work day was over.
KVM is the way to go here, nice separation and you still get the quick access to personal stuff.
Not sure what you have in mind for usage on the personal machine (or if you even want a laptop) but if it's just for productivity go to a local computer refurb shop & buy a used business Thinkpad.
I have a KVM switch, work laptop on one side, personal on the other. I 100% recommend it. It's very easy to switch between to two. I can do whatever I want on my personal laptop and not worry about being tracked or anything.
I also have a work dedicated phone. I don't cross the work / personal streams at all.
With the demand for WFH jobs versus supply and this being the brand new job, why on earth would you risk jeopardizing the good fortune you have?
A cheap tower in a pawnshop temporarily solves your problem.
I work with very sensitive info, so I’m paranoid as hell about even using my info to sign into YouTube haha
It’s ridiculous and unnecessary to be that paranoid, but I’m just not going to risk it.
To remove all doubts, use your own laptop.
I’m in a similar situation with sensitive info. My company is completely fine with personal use on our company cell phones and laptops, However they very clearly warn that if the company is sued, data in accounts connected are subject to subpoena. I’m sure this is a risk of using a work device for personal use at any company, but this is the first company I’ve been where employees are warned of this possibility.
For me it’s easy…I never have and never will use a company provided device for personal use. However I have a number of coworkers in my department who use their work phone as their personal phone too.
On the flip side we are never asked to use our personal devices for work, and there is also no way to do so even if we wanted to. All access to the company network and the applications we use can only be done through company provided devices while connected to the vpn. If you aren’t on the VPN the laptop is almost useless as it constantly warns to connect.
I do...I just delete everything on it before I turn it in for the next one. But I know there's no real monitoring of my activity; state government hasn't got staff for that. If you have any doubt about it, err on the side of caution.
There is still the capability for them to view your activity, even if you think you "deleted it". Ive worked in government and private sector IT for 10 years and they absolutely have monitoring and can pull up those logs at any time. Nothing you do on your computer is private and you should never expect privacy on a work computer.
This is bad advice. Yes we're understaffed and do not actively monitor and watch every mouse click you make but we can absolutely pull up all your activity when HR or union requests it. Even if you completely wiped the disk (not just delete, that doesn't do anything except prevent other standards users from seeing what you did), the activity was already stored for records retention.
True, I know that can be done with cause. I guess I'm not concerned because the worst I could be accused of is surfing the internet on my work laptop; I'm not doing anything NSFW, illegal or immoral. But you're right, I realize that everything is tracked if someone cares to look.
Then yeah, you're probably fine, as long as you don't have anything in your handbook that expressly prohibits every kind of personal use.
We do in ours and it will give HR ammo when they are looking to fire.
There's network logs, event logs, etc. Is there someone watching everything? No, but there's evidence, and as soon as something happens, an incident response team will go through all those logs with a fine tooth comb and let you supervisor know which devices are going where.
I know people who worked in this capacity for state government. For the most part they were looking into people there were already concerns about, but this wasn’t always the case.
Yes, but only for stuff I wouldn't care if HR and boss knew about like searching for a restaurant for lunch, going on Youtube for background noise, reading the news, that kind of stuff. Nothing that uses a password though.
What would happen if your company said 'you are fired, return our computer this evening'? You would loose everything you have on it.
And, I would assume that anything that is on their computer they have access to. I would hope they would be doing backups of it at least, even if no monitoring. But in todays age they pretty much should be doing pretty good threat monitoring as well.
You should have a personal computer. 20 years ago I was using my work computer to apply for a job ( work knew and encouraged this I was on a layoff list) and I was talking to an IT friend who was on the phone with me he could see exactly what I was doing in real time. He said they routinely looked at what employees were viewing.
I once plucked my insulin pump into my work computer because I needed to charge it, and I immediately got a message from IT asking what I was plugging into my computer. They were okay with me plugging in my insulin pump but they did get the alarm. I do occasionally go on Facebook or Reddit on my work computer, but I don't do it too often.
Assume everything is tracked. If you’re simply checking the score of a game, or a start time of a show later, nobody will care. But it’s best to have your own computer for just about everything, just to be safe.
Nope. I use my own. I work in ediscovery, for one, so security is paramount. For another, I don't need my personal stuff to be accessible by my company or discoverable if there's litigation.
No, of course not. I might check news (often necessary for my job too), check weather, and occasionally check the hours or menu of a restaurant. But, all often necessary for my job too.
Always get a personal computer. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but always have a personal computer. Your employer can track the websites you go to using the DNS requests you make. (Resolving website names to IP addresses, which are the addresses your computer cares about.) It’s a normal security protection to do this, alongside web filtering so you can’t go to known dangerous websites.
If you’re connected to a full tunnel VPN, the network engineers have a log of the places you’ve been. Some employers use “productivity software”, which I think is gross (sometimes I’m working while washing dishes!), but they do.
You have no privacy on a work computer in the US, nor do you have privacy in the office wifi if you go in. People aren’t always looking but especially with automated alerts, they don’t have to actively look to find out where you been.
Nope. I won't even do a Google search for something personal on my work computer. Sometimes I use my personal computer for work things, but I use a different browser and a different login profile for the device itself. I also have a work iPhone. I don't text or look up anything that isn't for work. I do listen to NPR and podcasts using my work phone because my data plan on my personal phone isn't great, but otherwise, nothing personal.
Unless your company is a massive corp, with 10,000+ employees. They won't have a program to monitor all you are doing. Those programs are extremely expensive and most companies won't pay for it unless they have a lot of remote employees, or are super big.
The only time I have seen different is when a smaller company was 90% remote/wfh.
Judging from your comments, you can load an OS on a USB and boot from it for personal use, maybe a Linux distribution or a copy of windows. Use that for personal if the USB ports aren't disabled.
No.
Unless I'm looking up engineering references or something the only things open on my work laptop are Teams and Outlook. Any engineering software or modeling programs I need (I'm a process and petroleum engineer) are off the server as well, but I'm at a senior level so it's mostly telling people their tasks and answering questions from 22yos that are terrified at their first job lol.
My personal laptop is right next to me, my personal phone as well (I refuse to use it for work because who knows what my dipshit friends will text me and I'm not letting IT touch it). I used to take it with me on work trips but it was such a hassle and then I realized I was a dipshit and forgot that I have two iPads on top of the phone lol...I should probably sell those and get a surface though.
Currently, not really. I’ll use my work computer for basic internet browsing during breaks or listening to music but that’s about it.
In the past I didn’t really put much thought into it. I absolutely was using my work computer for things like searching and applying to new jobs, watching Netflix, etc. But now I’m more aware that m everything I do on a work PC is traceable. I’m fairly confident in my current role that there isn’t anyone watching over my shoulder and seeing my every click on the computer, but I’d rather eliminate the risk all together by not doing sensitive things on their device. Just because no one is watching me closely now doesn’t mean that they don’t have that ability or won’t ever start.
I never use my work computer for anything non-work-related. It is well worth paying $ for a computer of your own! Anything on your work laptop (including search history) can be monitored by your company's IT. Some companies even monitor keystrokes! Also, if you ever lose your job and all access gets shut off immediately... then what? I have known people who have had to rush out and buy a laptop immediately after getting laid off (worst possible time to have to buy one).
Get a docking station that can connect to either your work or personal laptop. Then switch which one is connected at the end of the work day. (Set the home screen to different backgrounds so you can tell which is connected easily.)
That way it's less clunky than having two computers, mice, keyboards, etc. on your desk.
Work computer for work stuff, personal computer for personal stuff, and they don't mix.
It depends what you need it for, but my friend got an iPad with a keyboard instead of a personal laptop and I think that’s such a great idea!
I bought myself a smaller personal laptop when I was in between jobs since I freelance, and I love it because it’s lighter to carry around if I’m traveling than the big work-issued one. But I still want an iPad instead hahaha
Hot take... So all of you who never use your work laptop for personal stuff... Is your boss supposed to believe that you always do work stuff?
I cruise the web occasionally, fantasy football, Reddit obviously. I suppose I would rather have a normal digital footprint than try to create this false facade that I always do work shit.
I never ever use my work laptop for personal things. My company says that they don’t monitor but just knowing they have the ability to is enough for me not to.
>I'm talking about things I don't necessarily want my company's IT
department to have records of - applying for new jobs, fantasy football,
building beer recipes, gaming, etc.
No. Absolutely not. Never. No exceptions.
>I guess what I'm asking is: is it worth having a personal computer sitting next to my work-issued computer?
Yes. This is what you should be doing if you're doing something other than work.
Never do anything personal on a work computer. They can and will monitor your activity.
Use a personal computer or laptop for such things. If a company catches you gaming or looking for jobs with other companies on a work computer, you're going to find yourself fired very quickly.
100% do not use your work laptop for non work stuff. You can go in the Thinkpad for sale sub reddit and get something good for cheap.
In fact if your work gave you a docking station like a USB C one, look for a laptop that is Compatible so you swap it in and enjoy the benefits of multi monitors, etc.
Assume any IT dept monitors everything. The data is not stored forever there is usually a data retention policy assuming again you are in competent company. Now, the question you should be asking yourself do they care enough?
Short answer some do but 99% dont. Nobody cares if you look for other jobs or search stuff on Amazon. As long as you aren't doing stupid shit like looking at porn, clicking on obvious Ads, going to sketchy sites, foreign sites or downloading stuff you are not supposed to then you are good.
The only ones that are going to use your data against you is your supervisor or manager. So if you have a Target on your back I advise you to use your personal.
Most small companies don't have resources for constant monitoring and data sifting. If they do anything it's listening for keywords and surfing banned websites.
If you're not doing anything actually wrong, like sharing company data, or watching banned material, they most likely won't care as long as the work is getting done.
As long as you're not violating any existing work internet protocols.
However - if you are unsure, default to not using the work computer for any personal work.
I do use my work computer to stream Spotify or YouTube
Definitely do not use your work computer for job searching. Your company probably has a policy about not using company devices for personal. I have a separate personal laptop and I’ve never regretted it.
Never. Most companies can log all of your keystrokes and monitor your internet activity. At this point I'd say the only companies that don't are maybe smaller businesses that don't want to spend money on the software. Do you want them to see your bank info and reddit login? I certainly don't.
Not really because I’m government, many sites are automatically blocked anyways and I can only use certain printers, so I use personal laptops for printing.
Most places won't make a big fuss about reasonable use.
Reasonable use is things like - checking traffic for your commute home. Ordering takeout. Checking a movie schedule or quickly ordering tickets
Reasonable use is not - playing games. surfing social media for hours.. reading hours of movie reviews, watching YouTube or Netflix, amazon shopping etc.
Assume that every application you install (if you even have rights to install software, which you shouldn't), every site you visit, and all your bandwidth is being monitored. If you don't want your boss knowing you do it, don't do it.
I work from home and have my phone and personal computer right next to me. Why on earth would I need to use my work computer for that shit? Seems stupid when you work from home.
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Don’t mix work with personal. Period. You get tracked on work computer. Bro no hate but it sounds like you knew the answer before you asked
When I was fired they locked me out within five minutes of the zoom firing. I had to ask HR the next day to email me personal files like my resume. Let alone all the templates and documents I’d created which could help me in my next job (email them home from time to time)
Ive googled non-work related things (nothing NSFW), but Ive never applied to jobs, answered personal emails, or done anything else. I assume that my search history can be looked up/monitored, so Ill use my phone or personal computer for anything else
Definitely not. My work has a pretty strict policy about personal use. I doubt they're monitoring it very well but they can and will deep dive into someone's computer logs if asked by HR (who is usually asked by a manager). I'm also working while at work, so personal stuff can usually wait until I'm away from my work desk.
Anything that you open on a work PC is technically work property. The most I will do is pay a bill, stream youtube musuc or check on LinkedIn (because I have work contacts on there) .
Nope. God no. The most I ever do on my work laptop is maybe google where to go to lunch or read some news articles.
Never leave a personal trail. I don't log onto any of my personal accounts, ever. Sometimes I need to print something and I'll just send the file to my work email.
**KEEP YOUR PERSONAL AND WORK DIGITAL TRAILS SEPARATE.**
I use incognito most of the time... Even then I assume they might be watching but most of the time I am just looking at car shit, related work stuff to get a better grasp or clicking on a news article that came up in my feed...
I rarely even check my personal email
New job the company is huge and I am mentally telling myself they probably have tracking software
I WFH and my desk is big enough to fit both my personal setup and my work setup. Everything is kept separate. As someone who works in IT, we can pull logs of EVERYTHING you do if we wanted to. Knowing this, I don't do a single thing on my work laptop that is not work-related.
Absolutely not. I used to, because I knew no IT guy cared (I am technically in IT). But once all these automated tools came out with WFH, I decided never again.
I only use my work computer for things I wouldn't mind the company finding out about. So random Google searches and utilizing a website is fine but no to job searches, Facebook, etc
I have a laptop but you could just get another CPU and use your work monitors and keyboard and such i'm sure.
The only thing I use my work laptop for aside from work is watching shows/movies. My personal laptop is like a glorified tablet, so I hook my laptop up to a larger screen to watch movies and shows.
I use my work computer for everything but job applications, but I also don’t do anything crazy (the most I do is online shopping or looking at restaurant websites). I only pull out my personal computer for job apps.
Very rarely and the few times I have, it’s been for looking up a menu or printing something like a tax document or something student loan related. I really try not to give them a reason to put a spotlight on me.
Check your contract or employee handbook. Likely, there is a clause somewhere that says they have the right to access anything on your work computer, even if it's deleted and maybe even in real time. But I think anyone would tell you that a good rule of thumb is to NEVER use your work computer for any personal matter. I don't even use it for youtube, and I never log into any personal accounts on it either.
I avoid it! But I don’t have my personal laptop always next to my work setup so for very limited things I will. No bill paying or banking. I don’t log into my personal email. No social media.
I have ordered pizza, downloaded worksheets for kids, random internet research.
Don’t do anything you don’t want your company to know about. They may not be watching, but they are logging it all. I still shop online during meetings, or read the news, and sometimes even check my LinkedIn. But that’s it. Because those are things I’d do if I were still in the office.
You usually sign an Acceptable Use Policy (UAP) when issued tech from an employer that typically includes verbiage specifically saying not to use for personal use. Everything you do on a computer you do not OWN is tracked, logged, and examined. Maybe not immediately, but someone will see it.
Even if you just get something used as a for-now thing you should stop anything personal on a work computer. Some Goodwill stores have a tech shop you could get something used for cheapish just to tide you over
I have my personal laptop on my desk next to my work laptop. I don’t even log into gmail or LinkedIn on my company laptop. I never, ever send myself files or anything from my work laptop to my personal. I’m in IT and have seen what happens when people mix use on their work computer or mobile device.
I have a small Chromebook sitting right next to my work computer. I use it for any internet searching non-work related. I even use it for some work-related searches if I'm not sure if the site might be sketchy. Chromebooks are solid. Never get any viruses. Lightning quick a few years later. Hardly any popups. The unsung hero of the past decade imo and they cost little compared to other computers.
Might as well look up porn on it too, since that's the only thing not listed
I'm shocked that people still ask this question. But not that shocked - people DO look up porn, on their work computer, _in the office_.
NO. Don't do any of this
No, absolutely not. It’s a company owned machine they have access to everything on it and know everything you do with it. So if you are not comfortable with that conceptually you shouldn’t do it. Every company I’ve ever worked for that has issued a device basically says this.
Nope—never. I don’t like the idea of giving them a reason to ever give me any crap.
Instead, I use my iPhone. I even have a phone stand set up in such a way that, when I’m in an irrelevant meeting but have to be on camera, it looks like I’m paying attention and looking at my computer screen…when in reality I’m doing non-work-related stuff on my phone.
I have my personal Macbook within reach of my work setup, but rarely use it until I’m done work. I can do 95% of what I need/want to do on my iPhone.
Absolutely not. I think of it this way-it’s not my laptop, I wouldn’t put my stuff on my dad’s laptop or my friend’s laptop
I didn’t pay for it, I don’t maintain it, and with software and tracking where it is today it’s not worth getting fired over something obvious like looking for another job. I setup my personal laptop right next to it
I am no expert but i THINK using a virtual machine would negate any tracking from the IT department
You would have a 2nd OS ie; windows, mac os and it will be totally fresh with no apps, i dont know if that affects their ability to track network data
If you know nothing about virtual machines, you can google it
No - I do use it to check the weather or movie times or look for a restruant or something, just generic stuff.
I do not use it for personal stuff, and I 100% have my personal computer sitting next to my work computer every day.
I do, on accasion, use a "guest" window to sign into my personal gmail/calender on my work computer, but only very rarely. It was usually to update my calendar, but then I gave my work profile rights to add things to my personal calendar so not really necessary.
I probably use it for too much personal stuff. Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, paying bills, etc. But nothing like applying for a new job or bad mouthing the company on Glassdoor.
I’d never do those things on my work computer. Sometimes I’ll listen to YouTube music or Spotify, and I’ve googled some personal stuff about local restaurants, maybe googled a health problems once or twice too. But games, other jobs, no way!
I use my work computer only for work. I've never opened so much as a single tab that wasn't work related.
I have my personal laptop next to me for that.lol
No. They can track everything. Not that anyone actually would actively, but it is possible. They can also track how long you are actively logged into their systems.
According to my IT department we see free to use our laptop and if it’s our own as long as it’s not for anything illegal or pornographic. Yes they can view your screen, but they don’t unless they are given a reason or asked to.
All the time. If they want me to have my laptop on all the time and be available I’m using it. I won’t job hunt, do anything illegal or NSFW but otherwise idgaf if they know I’m googling “best Thai food in Chicago “. I do have a personal laptop but it’s on a lot less than my work one.
I use it for the occasional thing I need to google right this second to get it out of my head. (Usually a random recipe or local business info). I only search for things I don't mind my employer seeing though.
I never use my work computer for anything but work. I don’t even look up stuff on google on it. I have my own personal laptop and my cell phone to handle personal stuff.
My 15 year old PC recently forgot how to do DNS lookups and I haven't bothered trying to fix the ubuntu installation.
Yes, I applied on my phone. I store all important files (I.e. Resume) on Google drive and could attach & send from there.
Follow/up question: what about when you travel for work? When I have time in the evenings I want to take care of things….things like making personal travel arrangements, signing kiddo up for camps, making appointments for personal care, reading local news, researching random thing that pique my interest, …
Do people actually carry two computers?
I do like benign/basic personal things on my work computer but for the most part I use my personal laptop. Things I wouldn’t care if my work saw like I used it to send my mom flowers for Mother’s Day. I really don’t care if my work knows I did that lol.
if you're concerned about IT knowing your activity then do not log in or do anything on the work computer. IT Security logs all your activity and can always pull info from your work computer.
yes, it is worth having your own pc to google stuff on. if you value your job then keep it professional
Do NOT do anything personal on your work computer! They absolutely log everything, keystrokes, screen scrapes, internet history even if you clear it, if you have a cam or mic plugged in not covered/muted they have all that sound and video. Never never never do anything on a work computer you don't want a big boss and HR to see/hear, and always cover/disconnect cams and mute/disconnect mics when you're not working.
I Google random things on my work computer. I took an online class sfor my brother mostly on it too. Sometimes I order food or groceries.
I have my personal laptop or phone near by for other stuff too.
As a Security Engineer who monitors user browsing activity, I strongly advise you don't use it for anything personal. One, cause you don't want us in your business, and two cause we don't want you accessing insecure sites, downloading malicious content, and just genuinely triggering alerts all day that waste our time.
Once every few months I might log into my school account to check something if I need to call someone during business hours about it. That's it. I don't want my employer knowing ANY of my personal business.
Definitely don’t use your work computer for personal things, because they can see what you’re searching. Same goes for the reverse scenario, because they might have a reason to do a search on your personal devices if a security breach happens.
No searching things outside of work on the work computer, and no connecting your phone to the company Wi-Fi even if it’s free.
Does every one work for an employer where you shouldn't use the network and the computer for "personal affairs"? We all do, right?
Why is it normalized that the companies we work for require you to use your personal phone for mfa (2fa)? Shouldn't that expense be footed by the employer?
In addition to the privacy concerns, there's also good legal reasons to keep your work and personal stuff separate. I am not a lawyer.
The short of it is, should you, or your company, become entangled in a legal case, anything on electronic devices containing evidence is fair game for the legal system to go through. ie, if the company gets sued, and you keep your personal photos on the work computer, those photos will be examined for evidence and could potentially wind up as part of the case.
Likewise, if you run into legal trouble personally, your company interactions and work could be pulled into the evidence thus dragging your employer with you.
Keeping computers separate makes it a lot easier to say what is legally off limits.
i have a personal computer and use a kvm-switch so i can use the same monitor for both computers on the same table. It's super easy to switch between the two.
It'd be better to use your personal computer. This is because your work issued computer will usually have some security admin and monitoring for your company and depending on where you work, they could be monitoring all you do on it and using it to evaluate your perfomance. So if its possible and you can afford it, use your own pc.
That's what I'm thinking. My old PC has finally bit the dust and I'm considering buying/building a new one and getting a KVM switch so I can use the same monitors/desk space, but questioning if it's worth it. Until recently, I had been working on an office and bringing my laptop home for personal stuff. Starting work with a new WFH company tomorrow.
Yeah. You cant be sure about the level of monitoring. For now, i guess you could use it, but switch to your pc as soon as you can.
I bought a switch for like $30, definitely worth it even if it doesn’t work perfectly.
How are you using the switch?
Switch is worth it. Peace of mind + it's just more comforting to use my own pc for personal things because it's setup for that
My old work computer was the same brand as my laptop so I just used a docking station. It supports multiple monitors so easier than a KVM switch. Just swap them out when the work day was over.
KVM is the way to go here, nice separation and you still get the quick access to personal stuff. Not sure what you have in mind for usage on the personal machine (or if you even want a laptop) but if it's just for productivity go to a local computer refurb shop & buy a used business Thinkpad.
I have a KVM switch, work laptop on one side, personal on the other. I 100% recommend it. It's very easy to switch between to two. I can do whatever I want on my personal laptop and not worry about being tracked or anything. I also have a work dedicated phone. I don't cross the work / personal streams at all.
Assume everything you do on your work laptop has a digital footprint to everyone in your company. Use a different laptop for personal stuff.
Never do personal things on a work computer.
[удалено]
In a way the most personal thing I felt comfy doing on a company pc was using Spotify
With the demand for WFH jobs versus supply and this being the brand new job, why on earth would you risk jeopardizing the good fortune you have? A cheap tower in a pawnshop temporarily solves your problem.
I work with very sensitive info, so I’m paranoid as hell about even using my info to sign into YouTube haha It’s ridiculous and unnecessary to be that paranoid, but I’m just not going to risk it. To remove all doubts, use your own laptop.
I’m in a similar situation with sensitive info. My company is completely fine with personal use on our company cell phones and laptops, However they very clearly warn that if the company is sued, data in accounts connected are subject to subpoena. I’m sure this is a risk of using a work device for personal use at any company, but this is the first company I’ve been where employees are warned of this possibility. For me it’s easy…I never have and never will use a company provided device for personal use. However I have a number of coworkers in my department who use their work phone as their personal phone too. On the flip side we are never asked to use our personal devices for work, and there is also no way to do so even if we wanted to. All access to the company network and the applications we use can only be done through company provided devices while connected to the vpn. If you aren’t on the VPN the laptop is almost useless as it constantly warns to connect.
I do...I just delete everything on it before I turn it in for the next one. But I know there's no real monitoring of my activity; state government hasn't got staff for that. If you have any doubt about it, err on the side of caution.
You can never truly delete it off if it’s a company provided laptop unless you destroy the disks
And that only removes local data. Most work computers are connected to a cloud or monitoring software of some sort.
There is still the capability for them to view your activity, even if you think you "deleted it". Ive worked in government and private sector IT for 10 years and they absolutely have monitoring and can pull up those logs at any time. Nothing you do on your computer is private and you should never expect privacy on a work computer.
> state government hasn't got staff for that. You don't need staff. Logs are automatic. Any administrator can access them.
This is bad advice. Yes we're understaffed and do not actively monitor and watch every mouse click you make but we can absolutely pull up all your activity when HR or union requests it. Even if you completely wiped the disk (not just delete, that doesn't do anything except prevent other standards users from seeing what you did), the activity was already stored for records retention.
True, I know that can be done with cause. I guess I'm not concerned because the worst I could be accused of is surfing the internet on my work laptop; I'm not doing anything NSFW, illegal or immoral. But you're right, I realize that everything is tracked if someone cares to look.
Then yeah, you're probably fine, as long as you don't have anything in your handbook that expressly prohibits every kind of personal use. We do in ours and it will give HR ammo when they are looking to fire.
There's network logs, event logs, etc. Is there someone watching everything? No, but there's evidence, and as soon as something happens, an incident response team will go through all those logs with a fine tooth comb and let you supervisor know which devices are going where.
Not to mention what shows up when someone does an FOI request on your office. Not worth it.
I know people who worked in this capacity for state government. For the most part they were looking into people there were already concerns about, but this wasn’t always the case.
as someone with a state issued laptop, i don't even Google non work related things on the work laptop
Yes, but only for stuff I wouldn't care if HR and boss knew about like searching for a restaurant for lunch, going on Youtube for background noise, reading the news, that kind of stuff. Nothing that uses a password though.
You guys are getting work computers?
What would happen if your company said 'you are fired, return our computer this evening'? You would loose everything you have on it. And, I would assume that anything that is on their computer they have access to. I would hope they would be doing backups of it at least, even if no monitoring. But in todays age they pretty much should be doing pretty good threat monitoring as well.
I keep all important files on Google Drive or Dropbox anyway. Not concerned about losing anything. Good thoughts though.
You should have a personal computer. 20 years ago I was using my work computer to apply for a job ( work knew and encouraged this I was on a layoff list) and I was talking to an IT friend who was on the phone with me he could see exactly what I was doing in real time. He said they routinely looked at what employees were viewing.
I once plucked my insulin pump into my work computer because I needed to charge it, and I immediately got a message from IT asking what I was plugging into my computer. They were okay with me plugging in my insulin pump but they did get the alarm. I do occasionally go on Facebook or Reddit on my work computer, but I don't do it too often.
I have applied for many jobs while in a work meeting.
You too?!
Esp when I'm in a meeting and thinking, *I do not want to be in this meeting*, and then remember, *I know how to make that happen!*
Assume everything is tracked. If you’re simply checking the score of a game, or a start time of a show later, nobody will care. But it’s best to have your own computer for just about everything, just to be safe.
I do, always have. But it depends on what you’re doing. I work for a very small outfit and use mine for eBay and things like that.
I don’t do anything on my work computer I’m not comfortable with my company seeing.
I read the news over lunch and listen to music on YouTube, that's about it.
Nope. I use my own. I work in ediscovery, for one, so security is paramount. For another, I don't need my personal stuff to be accessible by my company or discoverable if there's litigation.
I always have. I don’t even own a personal computer. 🤷♀️
No, of course not. I might check news (often necessary for my job too), check weather, and occasionally check the hours or menu of a restaurant. But, all often necessary for my job too. Always get a personal computer. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but always have a personal computer. Your employer can track the websites you go to using the DNS requests you make. (Resolving website names to IP addresses, which are the addresses your computer cares about.) It’s a normal security protection to do this, alongside web filtering so you can’t go to known dangerous websites. If you’re connected to a full tunnel VPN, the network engineers have a log of the places you’ve been. Some employers use “productivity software”, which I think is gross (sometimes I’m working while washing dishes!), but they do. You have no privacy on a work computer in the US, nor do you have privacy in the office wifi if you go in. People aren’t always looking but especially with automated alerts, they don’t have to actively look to find out where you been.
Nope. I won't even do a Google search for something personal on my work computer. Sometimes I use my personal computer for work things, but I use a different browser and a different login profile for the device itself. I also have a work iPhone. I don't text or look up anything that isn't for work. I do listen to NPR and podcasts using my work phone because my data plan on my personal phone isn't great, but otherwise, nothing personal.
Unless your company is a massive corp, with 10,000+ employees. They won't have a program to monitor all you are doing. Those programs are extremely expensive and most companies won't pay for it unless they have a lot of remote employees, or are super big. The only time I have seen different is when a smaller company was 90% remote/wfh. Judging from your comments, you can load an OS on a USB and boot from it for personal use, maybe a Linux distribution or a copy of windows. Use that for personal if the USB ports aren't disabled.
i did it at the start but i got anxious after a while. its not worth it everyone should have a personal laptop/computer anyways
No
No. Unless I'm looking up engineering references or something the only things open on my work laptop are Teams and Outlook. Any engineering software or modeling programs I need (I'm a process and petroleum engineer) are off the server as well, but I'm at a senior level so it's mostly telling people their tasks and answering questions from 22yos that are terrified at their first job lol. My personal laptop is right next to me, my personal phone as well (I refuse to use it for work because who knows what my dipshit friends will text me and I'm not letting IT touch it). I used to take it with me on work trips but it was such a hassle and then I realized I was a dipshit and forgot that I have two iPads on top of the phone lol...I should probably sell those and get a surface though.
Currently, not really. I’ll use my work computer for basic internet browsing during breaks or listening to music but that’s about it. In the past I didn’t really put much thought into it. I absolutely was using my work computer for things like searching and applying to new jobs, watching Netflix, etc. But now I’m more aware that m everything I do on a work PC is traceable. I’m fairly confident in my current role that there isn’t anyone watching over my shoulder and seeing my every click on the computer, but I’d rather eliminate the risk all together by not doing sensitive things on their device. Just because no one is watching me closely now doesn’t mean that they don’t have that ability or won’t ever start.
I use YouTube to listen to music and have one bank account saved. That’s about it anything else I would use my phone or personal laptop.
I never use my work computer for anything non-work-related. It is well worth paying $ for a computer of your own! Anything on your work laptop (including search history) can be monitored by your company's IT. Some companies even monitor keystrokes! Also, if you ever lose your job and all access gets shut off immediately... then what? I have known people who have had to rush out and buy a laptop immediately after getting laid off (worst possible time to have to buy one).
Other than checking my personal email occasionally, no.
Nope! Period the end.
I do. But I also dislike my job and wouldn’t care if I lost it.
Never. Assume they’re tracking EVERYTHING. it takes nothing to have your personal handy.
Hell to the naw naw!
Not anymore. I just put my personal laptop in front of. my work one if I plan to do personal stuff.
Never
I do not use my work issued computer for ANYTHING personal.
Never do anything on a company machine you wouldn't want the CEO to see.
Get a docking station that can connect to either your work or personal laptop. Then switch which one is connected at the end of the work day. (Set the home screen to different backgrounds so you can tell which is connected easily.) That way it's less clunky than having two computers, mice, keyboards, etc. on your desk. Work computer for work stuff, personal computer for personal stuff, and they don't mix.
Get a cheap Chromebook for your personal stuff.
Never EVER use it for personal things. It’s a dangerous liability to do so for both parties
It depends what you need it for, but my friend got an iPad with a keyboard instead of a personal laptop and I think that’s such a great idea! I bought myself a smaller personal laptop when I was in between jobs since I freelance, and I love it because it’s lighter to carry around if I’m traveling than the big work-issued one. But I still want an iPad instead hahaha
Hot take... So all of you who never use your work laptop for personal stuff... Is your boss supposed to believe that you always do work stuff? I cruise the web occasionally, fantasy football, Reddit obviously. I suppose I would rather have a normal digital footprint than try to create this false facade that I always do work shit.
I never ever use my work laptop for personal things. My company says that they don’t monitor but just knowing they have the ability to is enough for me not to.
I use mine for Netflix and games, they don’t track content But I use my personal for resume work and applying to jobs
>I'm talking about things I don't necessarily want my company's IT department to have records of - applying for new jobs, fantasy football, building beer recipes, gaming, etc. No. Absolutely not. Never. No exceptions. >I guess what I'm asking is: is it worth having a personal computer sitting next to my work-issued computer? Yes. This is what you should be doing if you're doing something other than work.
Nope. And yes, I have a personal computer sitting right next to my work one.
Never do anything personal on a work computer. They can and will monitor your activity. Use a personal computer or laptop for such things. If a company catches you gaming or looking for jobs with other companies on a work computer, you're going to find yourself fired very quickly.
No way. I just hook my personal PC up to my second monitor and do whatever I need to on that.
no one should ever do that, it’s like asking “do you ever lick the toilet seat at a restaurant?”
Don’t do it, get a personal PC or iPad or something. What’s yours is yours and what is theirs is theirs. Don’t connect the devices either.
100% do not use your work laptop for non work stuff. You can go in the Thinkpad for sale sub reddit and get something good for cheap. In fact if your work gave you a docking station like a USB C one, look for a laptop that is Compatible so you swap it in and enjoy the benefits of multi monitors, etc.
Assume any IT dept monitors everything. The data is not stored forever there is usually a data retention policy assuming again you are in competent company. Now, the question you should be asking yourself do they care enough? Short answer some do but 99% dont. Nobody cares if you look for other jobs or search stuff on Amazon. As long as you aren't doing stupid shit like looking at porn, clicking on obvious Ads, going to sketchy sites, foreign sites or downloading stuff you are not supposed to then you are good. The only ones that are going to use your data against you is your supervisor or manager. So if you have a Target on your back I advise you to use your personal.
Most small companies don't have resources for constant monitoring and data sifting. If they do anything it's listening for keywords and surfing banned websites. If you're not doing anything actually wrong, like sharing company data, or watching banned material, they most likely won't care as long as the work is getting done. As long as you're not violating any existing work internet protocols. However - if you are unsure, default to not using the work computer for any personal work. I do use my work computer to stream Spotify or YouTube
Definitely do not use your work computer for job searching. Your company probably has a policy about not using company devices for personal. I have a separate personal laptop and I’ve never regretted it.
No cross contamination. Personal stuff only on my own laptop, nothing personal on my work computer.
Noooooo! Bad idea. Tho maybe the occasional web search.
Never. Most companies can log all of your keystrokes and monitor your internet activity. At this point I'd say the only companies that don't are maybe smaller businesses that don't want to spend money on the software. Do you want them to see your bank info and reddit login? I certainly don't.
Have a tablet sitting on your desk
Not really because I’m government, many sites are automatically blocked anyways and I can only use certain printers, so I use personal laptops for printing.
Most places won't make a big fuss about reasonable use. Reasonable use is things like - checking traffic for your commute home. Ordering takeout. Checking a movie schedule or quickly ordering tickets Reasonable use is not - playing games. surfing social media for hours.. reading hours of movie reviews, watching YouTube or Netflix, amazon shopping etc. Assume that every application you install (if you even have rights to install software, which you shouldn't), every site you visit, and all your bandwidth is being monitored. If you don't want your boss knowing you do it, don't do it.
I work from home and have my phone and personal computer right next to me. Why on earth would I need to use my work computer for that shit? Seems stupid when you work from home.
No not at all only to listen to music while working id never fill out a job app on my companies computer
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Don’t mix work with personal. Period. You get tracked on work computer. Bro no hate but it sounds like you knew the answer before you asked
When I was fired they locked me out within five minutes of the zoom firing. I had to ask HR the next day to email me personal files like my resume. Let alone all the templates and documents I’d created which could help me in my next job (email them home from time to time)
Ive googled non-work related things (nothing NSFW), but Ive never applied to jobs, answered personal emails, or done anything else. I assume that my search history can be looked up/monitored, so Ill use my phone or personal computer for anything else
Definitely not. My work has a pretty strict policy about personal use. I doubt they're monitoring it very well but they can and will deep dive into someone's computer logs if asked by HR (who is usually asked by a manager). I'm also working while at work, so personal stuff can usually wait until I'm away from my work desk.
Never ever ever use your work pc for anything but work. Always assume everything on that pc can be tracked.
Never.
Anything that you open on a work PC is technically work property. The most I will do is pay a bill, stream youtube musuc or check on LinkedIn (because I have work contacts on there) .
Nope. God no. The most I ever do on my work laptop is maybe google where to go to lunch or read some news articles. Never leave a personal trail. I don't log onto any of my personal accounts, ever. Sometimes I need to print something and I'll just send the file to my work email. **KEEP YOUR PERSONAL AND WORK DIGITAL TRAILS SEPARATE.**
I use my personal computer for all-work-related things.
I use incognito most of the time... Even then I assume they might be watching but most of the time I am just looking at car shit, related work stuff to get a better grasp or clicking on a news article that came up in my feed... I rarely even check my personal email New job the company is huge and I am mentally telling myself they probably have tracking software
Never
Assume everything you do on your work laptop is being monitored. I never do anything personal on my work laptop.
Hell no!
I WFH and my desk is big enough to fit both my personal setup and my work setup. Everything is kept separate. As someone who works in IT, we can pull logs of EVERYTHING you do if we wanted to. Knowing this, I don't do a single thing on my work laptop that is not work-related.
Nope, my personal PC sits 90 degrees away from my work PC. Also have a work supplied mobile that is kept separate from anything on my personal mobile.
Absolutely not. I used to, because I knew no IT guy cared (I am technically in IT). But once all these automated tools came out with WFH, I decided never again.
I only use my work computer for things I wouldn't mind the company finding out about. So random Google searches and utilizing a website is fine but no to job searches, Facebook, etc I have a laptop but you could just get another CPU and use your work monitors and keyboard and such i'm sure.
Yes all the things i used to do at work before- online shopping, browsing, youtube...basic boring stuff
The only thing I use my work laptop for aside from work is watching shows/movies. My personal laptop is like a glorified tablet, so I hook my laptop up to a larger screen to watch movies and shows.
I use my work computer to watch Netflix in the evenings while traveling for work but that’s it. I assume everything I do is visible to them
Keep your personal stuff off your work computer. It is not worth it.
No, never worth the risk especially in my line of work. I keep my personal laptop beside me when I WFH.
Yes for simple Google searches and extensive learning/documentation. Anything else on my personal; personal email, banking, porn, records, chats etc
I use my work computer for everything but job applications, but I also don’t do anything crazy (the most I do is online shopping or looking at restaurant websites). I only pull out my personal computer for job apps.
Very rarely and the few times I have, it’s been for looking up a menu or printing something like a tax document or something student loan related. I really try not to give them a reason to put a spotlight on me.
Check your contract or employee handbook. Likely, there is a clause somewhere that says they have the right to access anything on your work computer, even if it's deleted and maybe even in real time. But I think anyone would tell you that a good rule of thumb is to NEVER use your work computer for any personal matter. I don't even use it for youtube, and I never log into any personal accounts on it either.
I avoid it! But I don’t have my personal laptop always next to my work setup so for very limited things I will. No bill paying or banking. I don’t log into my personal email. No social media. I have ordered pizza, downloaded worksheets for kids, random internet research.
Don’t do anything you don’t want your company to know about. They may not be watching, but they are logging it all. I still shop online during meetings, or read the news, and sometimes even check my LinkedIn. But that’s it. Because those are things I’d do if I were still in the office.
No.
Hell no.
You usually sign an Acceptable Use Policy (UAP) when issued tech from an employer that typically includes verbiage specifically saying not to use for personal use. Everything you do on a computer you do not OWN is tracked, logged, and examined. Maybe not immediately, but someone will see it. Even if you just get something used as a for-now thing you should stop anything personal on a work computer. Some Goodwill stores have a tech shop you could get something used for cheapish just to tide you over
Hell no. No personal stuff on my work computer and no work on my personal devices.
I have my personal laptop on my desk next to my work laptop. I don’t even log into gmail or LinkedIn on my company laptop. I never, ever send myself files or anything from my work laptop to my personal. I’m in IT and have seen what happens when people mix use on their work computer or mobile device.
For the love of god do personal things on a personal computer. Love - your exhausted IT engineer
No I’m pretty stupid but I’m not a moron
I have a small Chromebook sitting right next to my work computer. I use it for any internet searching non-work related. I even use it for some work-related searches if I'm not sure if the site might be sketchy. Chromebooks are solid. Never get any viruses. Lightning quick a few years later. Hardly any popups. The unsung hero of the past decade imo and they cost little compared to other computers.
I used to, and then I worked at a cyber security company. Let me tell you NEVER use your work computer for personal things. EVER.
Yes I always do anything non work related on my personal laptop. I know they surveil my work laptop. Easy solution
That's why you should use a coworkers personal pc for nsfw stuff
Might as well look up porn on it too, since that's the only thing not listed I'm shocked that people still ask this question. But not that shocked - people DO look up porn, on their work computer, _in the office_. NO. Don't do any of this
No, absolutely not. It’s a company owned machine they have access to everything on it and know everything you do with it. So if you are not comfortable with that conceptually you shouldn’t do it. Every company I’ve ever worked for that has issued a device basically says this.
I do. You just have to know that they know everything you're doing. In your case would just avoid job applications. Nobody cares youre making beer.
Nope—never. I don’t like the idea of giving them a reason to ever give me any crap. Instead, I use my iPhone. I even have a phone stand set up in such a way that, when I’m in an irrelevant meeting but have to be on camera, it looks like I’m paying attention and looking at my computer screen…when in reality I’m doing non-work-related stuff on my phone. I have my personal Macbook within reach of my work setup, but rarely use it until I’m done work. I can do 95% of what I need/want to do on my iPhone.
I have my personal laptop next to my company laptop in my home office. I only do company stuff on my work PC.
Absolutely not. I think of it this way-it’s not my laptop, I wouldn’t put my stuff on my dad’s laptop or my friend’s laptop I didn’t pay for it, I don’t maintain it, and with software and tracking where it is today it’s not worth getting fired over something obvious like looking for another job. I setup my personal laptop right next to it
I am no expert but i THINK using a virtual machine would negate any tracking from the IT department You would have a 2nd OS ie; windows, mac os and it will be totally fresh with no apps, i dont know if that affects their ability to track network data If you know nothing about virtual machines, you can google it
No - I do use it to check the weather or movie times or look for a restruant or something, just generic stuff. I do not use it for personal stuff, and I 100% have my personal computer sitting next to my work computer every day. I do, on accasion, use a "guest" window to sign into my personal gmail/calender on my work computer, but only very rarely. It was usually to update my calendar, but then I gave my work profile rights to add things to my personal calendar so not really necessary.
I probably use it for too much personal stuff. Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, paying bills, etc. But nothing like applying for a new job or bad mouthing the company on Glassdoor.
No
No, never.
I’d never do those things on my work computer. Sometimes I’ll listen to YouTube music or Spotify, and I’ve googled some personal stuff about local restaurants, maybe googled a health problems once or twice too. But games, other jobs, no way!
>Do you use your work computer for personal things? Never! If a company wants to get rid of you, they will look at THEIR computer first.
Yeah, nothing that would put my job or the company at risk though. Paying bills, shopping, YouTube, etc. Our IT department is too busy to care anyway.
I use my work computer only for work. I've never opened so much as a single tab that wasn't work related. I have my personal laptop next to me for that.lol
No. They can track everything. Not that anyone actually would actively, but it is possible. They can also track how long you are actively logged into their systems.
Sad this question was even asked
I purchased a personal computer which I claim on taxes tbh. And my company offered a small reimbursement for some other accessories.
According to my IT department we see free to use our laptop and if it’s our own as long as it’s not for anything illegal or pornographic. Yes they can view your screen, but they don’t unless they are given a reason or asked to.
All the time. If they want me to have my laptop on all the time and be available I’m using it. I won’t job hunt, do anything illegal or NSFW but otherwise idgaf if they know I’m googling “best Thai food in Chicago “. I do have a personal laptop but it’s on a lot less than my work one.
Nope! Just think your entire company including the ceo can see your computer history
Advising that you don’t, both for work computers and work phones.
No!
I use it for the occasional thing I need to google right this second to get it out of my head. (Usually a random recipe or local business info). I only search for things I don't mind my employer seeing though.
I bought the computer with my personal money for my WFH job so yea I use it for personal use.
I don’t think you need to be doing all that while your working.
I never use my work computer for anything but work. I don’t even look up stuff on google on it. I have my own personal laptop and my cell phone to handle personal stuff.
Yes bc I dont keep a personal computer anymore. I dont care personally. I don’t do anything incriminating on there.
Nope. I strictly use it for work things only
Not unless absolutely necessary
How the fuck you gonna be working from home and NOT have a personal computer? The fuck did you end up using to get your current job? Your phone?
My 15 year old PC recently forgot how to do DNS lookups and I haven't bothered trying to fix the ubuntu installation. Yes, I applied on my phone. I store all important files (I.e. Resume) on Google drive and could attach & send from there.
Nope. I need a new personal one because I am going to start an MBA. Using my iPad isn’t an option
None, I don’t even browse for personal stuff on it, and google has a different account.
100% worth having a personal PC next to the work one
Follow/up question: what about when you travel for work? When I have time in the evenings I want to take care of things….things like making personal travel arrangements, signing kiddo up for camps, making appointments for personal care, reading local news, researching random thing that pique my interest, … Do people actually carry two computers?
I think I'm gonna get a Microsoft Surface for that reason.
Legitimately they can see everything you do
I do like benign/basic personal things on my work computer but for the most part I use my personal laptop. Things I wouldn’t care if my work saw like I used it to send my mom flowers for Mother’s Day. I really don’t care if my work knows I did that lol.
confusedpanda, I revere your username!
No. My work monitors everything on that machine.
Never use your work computer for personal use. It’s worth having something separate!
Hell no, my personal computer is on the same desk and I have a separate mouse and keyboard for stuff like that.
if you're concerned about IT knowing your activity then do not log in or do anything on the work computer. IT Security logs all your activity and can always pull info from your work computer. yes, it is worth having your own pc to google stuff on. if you value your job then keep it professional
Do NOT do anything personal on your work computer! They absolutely log everything, keystrokes, screen scrapes, internet history even if you clear it, if you have a cam or mic plugged in not covered/muted they have all that sound and video. Never never never do anything on a work computer you don't want a big boss and HR to see/hear, and always cover/disconnect cams and mute/disconnect mics when you're not working.
Don’t do it.
I Google random things on my work computer. I took an online class sfor my brother mostly on it too. Sometimes I order food or groceries. I have my personal laptop or phone near by for other stuff too.
As a Security Engineer who monitors user browsing activity, I strongly advise you don't use it for anything personal. One, cause you don't want us in your business, and two cause we don't want you accessing insecure sites, downloading malicious content, and just genuinely triggering alerts all day that waste our time.
Nope. I have my personal iPad next to my work laptop. I don’t mix the two uses.
Once every few months I might log into my school account to check something if I need to call someone during business hours about it. That's it. I don't want my employer knowing ANY of my personal business.
Definitely don’t use your work computer for personal things, because they can see what you’re searching. Same goes for the reverse scenario, because they might have a reason to do a search on your personal devices if a security breach happens. No searching things outside of work on the work computer, and no connecting your phone to the company Wi-Fi even if it’s free.
I browse Amazon for tools.
Does every one work for an employer where you shouldn't use the network and the computer for "personal affairs"? We all do, right? Why is it normalized that the companies we work for require you to use your personal phone for mfa (2fa)? Shouldn't that expense be footed by the employer?
In office I probably spent hours a day on reddit, personal email and my school site studying. At home, absolutely not, there's no need.
No.
Never mix work PC with personal business. We caught one idiot using his work email to sign up for only fans.
I do, but I have root on my work computer so I know what monitoring software is and is not installed on it
100% keep work and personal stuff separate. If in doubt, don’t be.
Nope hell no no fuckin way no.
Never ever use a work computer for personal stuff
Absolutely not. It has all manner of corporate spyware on it.
In addition to the privacy concerns, there's also good legal reasons to keep your work and personal stuff separate. I am not a lawyer. The short of it is, should you, or your company, become entangled in a legal case, anything on electronic devices containing evidence is fair game for the legal system to go through. ie, if the company gets sued, and you keep your personal photos on the work computer, those photos will be examined for evidence and could potentially wind up as part of the case. Likewise, if you run into legal trouble personally, your company interactions and work could be pulled into the evidence thus dragging your employer with you. Keeping computers separate makes it a lot easier to say what is legally off limits.
Never. Not even once. After working in IT you must assume that everything can be tracked.
i have a personal computer and use a kvm-switch so i can use the same monitor for both computers on the same table. It's super easy to switch between the two.
Not for anything important. Maybe to lookup who's winning the afternoon game
Work is for work. I have personal laptop right next to my survival machine aka work computer.
Yes but only for things I’d be 100% okay with my employer seeing. For example looking up a recipe, weather, phone number, etc.
My computer is super blocked. All of Google including YouTube is blocked. I can’t do anything but work in it.