Acceptable Usage Policy (AUP)
July 08, 2011 • Administrator
Synopsis
Example Acceptable Usage Policy that you can tailor to suit your organisation.
Article
Internet/Web Access - General Principles:
Use of the Internet by Company employees is permitted and encouraged where such use is suitable for business purposes and supports the goals and objectives of the Company. You should bear in mind that the websites visited by you may be monitored and/or recorded:
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For security and network management reasons;
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To ensure compliance with this policy;
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Where necessary in order to carry out the business of the Company;
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To prevent or detect a crime.
The Internet is to be used in a manner that is consistent with the Company’s standards of business conduct and as part of the normal execution of an employee’s job responsibilities. Corporate e-mail accounts, Internet IDs and web pages should not be used for anything other than corporate sanctioned communications. Users may be subject to limitations on their use of such resources. The distribution of any information through the Internet, computer-based services, e-mail, and messaging systems is subject to the scrutiny of the Company. The Company reserves the right to determine the suitability of this information.
Employees are expressly forbidden to:
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Download, transmit or have possession of any pornographic material.
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Transmit, download or store any material that is thought to be obscene, abusive, defamatory, sexually explicit, offensive, racist or sexist or which is intended to annoy, harass or intimidate another person. Transmitting, downloading or storing such material will be considered a serious disciplinary offence.
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Download or install software from the Internet without prior approval from the Company’s IT Purchasing department.
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Send or otherwise participate in chain letters.
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Transmit confidential or proprietary matters of the Company.
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Send customer/supplier related info over any public computer system unless with proper agreement and encryption.
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Infringe copyright laws.
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Participating in “chat rooms”.
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Use the Company’s computer resources to break into another site or to illegally obtain information from another site.
Infringement of these prohibitions will be dealt with under the Company’s disciplinary procedures and serious breaches may result in dismissal. Limited personal use of the Internet is, at the discretion of your manager, acceptable. However, this must not interfere with your work or performance. Unreasonable personal use, including in particular the use of the system for personal business activities or a high volume of personal Internet use, will be considered a serious disciplinary offence.
Email and Internet
The following policy applies to all staff of Company XX (“the Company”) and to those offered access to the Company resources. Electronic media are of increasing importance to the Company, both internally and externally. The following policy gives guidance for appropriate usage.
E-mail - General Principles
In general, staff are expected to apply basic good judgement and common sense in their use of e-mail. You should bear in mind that e-mails are not private to you. The Company has the right to monitor and/or record e-mails or electronic documents that you create, send or receive: For security and network management reasons;
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To ensure compliance;
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Where necessary in order to carry out the business of the Company;
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To prevent or detect a crime.
All e-mail recorded messages remain the property of the Company. Furthermore you should be aware that even when you delete a message, a back-up copy is likely to be retained. You should also remember that e-mails are admissible as evidence in legal proceedings involving the Company. In addition, however carefully the system is protected, hacking is always a possibility and you should be wary of sending confidential information by e-mail. If in any doubt, make sure you ask your manager. Limited personal use of e-mail is, at the discretion of your manager, acceptable. However, this must not interfere with your work or performance. Unreasonable personal use, including in particular the use of the system for personal business activities or a high volume of personal emails, will be considered a serious disciplinary offence.
Employees expressly shall not:
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Use e-mail for personal advertisements or participate in chain letters
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Send or solicit material that is thought to be obscene, abusive, defamatory, sexually explicit, offensive, racist or sexist to the recipient or any other individual or which is intended to annoy, harass or intimidate another person. The soliciting of such e-mails will be considered a serious disciplinary offence.
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Create e-mail congestion by sending trivial messages or unnecessarily copying e-mails.
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Download, copy or transmit to third parties, the works of others without their permission as this may infringe copyright.
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Download unlicensed copyrighted software.
The following are allowed:
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Internal regular reporting
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Sensible requests for information
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As a rule of thumb, you must be as careful about sending an electronic message as you would a letter on the Company’s headed paper. The Company may be liable for what you do from the Company network whether we know about it or not.
You are expected to protect the integrity, security and confidentiality of your data and equipment. Abuse of the e-mail system will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure and serious breaches may result in dismissal.
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