An employer needs to know if his employees are wasting time on ANYTHING. It could be the internet, Solitaire, reading the newspaper or chatting endlessly - it doesn't matter. Computer abuse shouldn't be the total focus of office policies.

Still, because it's electronic, it smacks of surveillance, which drives some folks crazy. I suggest the following policy to my clients:

Make it clear that the computer is a business resource and should be treated as such. Personal E-Mail, eBay, games and the like only cheapen its importance. In fact, I usually remove games from my client systems.

Be sure that computer abuse is identified as grounds for dismissal.

Inform employees that ALL activity will be recorded, and DO IT.

There, now that that's been said - just hope you don't ever have to use it, especially the details. I would never expect to resort to checking who Old Joe had sent E-Mail to, or if he had visited a porn site. However, it could be very enlightening to discuss his 30 hours online and 1,000 transactions during the prior week, while asking him if there had been commensurate business benefit. Methinks the behavior would stop.

I suggest it's not really snooping if you're not checking the details.