Sample internet usage

policy
An internet usage policy provides employees with rules and guidelines about
the appropriate use of company equipment, network and Internet access.
Having such a policy in place helps to protect both the business and the
employee; the employee will be aware that browsing certain sites or
downloading files is prohibited and that the policy must be adhered to or there
could be serious repercussions, thus leading to fewer security risks for the
business as a result of employee negligence. The Internet Usage Policy is an
important document that must be signed by all employees upon starting work.
Below is a Sample Internet Usage Policy that covers the main points of
contention dealing with Internet and computer usage. The policy can then be
tailored to the requirements of the specific organization.

Internet usage policy

This Sample Internet Usage Policy applies to all employees of <company> who
have access to computers and the Internet to be used in the performance of
their work. Use of the Internet by employees of <company> is permitted and
encouraged where such use supports the goals and objectives of the business.
However, access to the Internet through <company> is a privilege and all
employees must adhere to the policies concerning Computer, Email and
Internet usage. Violation of these policies could result in disciplinary and/or legal
action leading up to and including termination of employment. Employees may
also be held personally liable for damages caused by any violations of this
policy. All employees are required to acknowledge receipt and confirm that they
have understood and agree to abide by the rules hereunder.

Computer, email and internet usage

 Company employees are expected to use the Internet responsibly and
productively. Internet access is limited to job-related activities only and
personal use is not permitted

 Job-related activities include research and educational tasks that may be

found via the Internet that would help in an employee's role

 All Internet data that is composed, transmitted and/or received by

<company's> computer systems is considered to belong to <company>
 and is recognized as part of its official data. It is therefore subject to
disclosure for legal reasons or to other appropriate third parties

 The equipment, services and technology used to access the Internet are
the property of <company> and the company reserves the right to monitor
Internet traffic and monitor and access data that is composed, sent or
received through its online connections

 Emails sent via the company email system should not contain content
that is deemed to be offensive. This includes, though is not restricted to,
the use of vulgar or harassing language/images

 All sites and downloads may be monitored and/or blocked by <company>

if they are deemed to be harmful and/or not productive to business

 The installation of software such as instant messaging technology is

strictly prohibited

Unacceptable use of the internet by employees

includes, but is not limited to:
 Sending or posting discriminatory, harassing, or threatening messages or
images on the Internet or via <company's> email service

 Using computers to perpetrate any form of fraud, and/or software, film or

music piracy

 Stealing, using, or disclosing someone else's password without

authorization
  Downloading, copying or pirating software and electronic files that are
copyrighted or without authorization

 Sharing confidential material, trade secrets, or proprietary information

outside of the organizatio

 Hacking into unauthorized websites

 Sending or posting information that is defamatory to the company, its

products/services, colleagues and/or customers

 Introducing malicious software onto the company network and/or

jeopardizing the security of the organization's electronic communications
systems

 Sending or posting chain letters, solicitations, or advertisements not

related to business purposes or activities

 Passing off personal views as representing those of the organization

If an employee is unsure about what constituted acceptable Internet usage,

then he/she should ask his/her supervisor for further guidance and clarification

All terms and conditions as stated in this document are applicable to all users of
<company's> network and Internet connection. All terms and conditions as
stated in this document reflect an agreement of all parties and should be
governed and interpreted in accordance with the policies and procedures
mentioned above. Any user violating these policies is subject to disciplinary
actions deemed appropriate by <company>.

User compliance
I understand and will abide by this Sample Internet Usage Policy. I further
understand that should I commit any violation of this policy, my access
privileges may be revoked, disciplinary action and/or appropriate legal action
may be taken.

_________________             ______________
Employee signature                Date

The regulations mentioned in this sample internet usage policy are covered

by GFI WebMonitor and any breaches of the policy can be addressed by the
network administrator, who is given control to oversee what downloads and site
browsing is occurring on the network and the Internet within the workplace,
through a user-friendly interface. 
 Employee Internet Usage
Policy
This Employee Internet Usage Policy is ready to be
tailored for your company’s needs and should be
considered a starting point for setting up your
policies regarding computer usage for employees. May
also be called Employee Internet Policy, Company
Internet Policyor Computer Usage Policy.

Policy brief & purpose

Our employee internet usage policy outlines our guidelines for using
our company’s internet connection, network and equipment. We want
to avoid inappropriate or illegal internet use that creates risks for our
company’s legality and reputation.

Scope
This employee internet usage policy applies to all our employees,
contractors, volunteers and partners who access our network and
computers.

Employee internet usage policy

elements
What is appropriate employee internet
usage?
Our employees are advised to use our company’s internet connection
for the following reasons:

 To complete their job duties.

 To seek out information that they can use to improve their work.
 To access their social media accounts, while conforming to
our social media policy.

We don’t want to restrict our employees’ access to websites of their

choice, but we expect our employees to exercise good judgement and
remain productive at work while using the internet.

Any use of our network and connection must follow

our confidentiality and data protection policy.

Employees should:

 Keep their passwords secret at all times.

 Log into their corporate accounts only from safe devices.

 Use strong passwords to log into work-related websites and

services.

What is inappropriate employee internet usage?

Our employees mustn’t use our network to:

 Download or upload obscene, offensive or illegal material.

 Send confidential information to unauthorized recipients.

 Invade another person’s privacy and sensitive information.

 Download or upload movies, music and other copyrighted

material and software.

 Visit potentially dangerous websites that can compromise the

safety of our network and computers.

 Perform unauthorized or illegal actions, like hacking, fraud,

buying/selling illegal goods and more.

We also advise our employees to be careful when downloading and

opening/executing files and software. If they’re unsure if a file is safe,
they should ask [their supervisor/ IT manager/ etc.]

Our company may install anti-virus and disk encryption software on our
company computers. Employees may not deactivate or configure
settings and firewalls without managerial approval.
 We won’t assume any responsibility if employee devices are infected
by malicious software, or if their personal data are compromised as a
result of inappropriate employee use.

Company-issued equipment
We expect our employees to respect and protect our company’s
equipment. “Company equipment” in this computer usage policy for
employees includes company-issued phones, laptops, tablets and any
other electronic equipment, and belongs to our company.

We advise our employees to lock their devices in their desks when

they’re not using them. Our employees are responsible for their
equipment whenever they take it out of their offices.

Email
Our employees can use their corporate email accounts for both work-
related and personal purposes as long as they don’t violate this
policy’s rules. Employees shouldn’t use their corporate email to:

 Register to illegal, unsafe, disreputable or suspect websites and

services.

 Send obscene, offensive or discriminatory messages and

content.

 Send unauthorized advertisements or solicitation emails.

 Sign up for a competitor’s services unless authorized.

Our company has the right to monitor corporate emails. We also have
the right to monitor websites employees visit on our computers.

Disciplinary Action
Employees who don’t conform to this employee internet usage policy
will face disciplinary action. Serious violations will be cause for
termination of employment, or legal action when appropriate.
Examples of serious violations are:

 Using our internet connection to steal or engage in other illegal

activities.
 Causing our computers to be infected by viruses, worms or other
malicious software.

 Sending offensive or inappropriate emails to our customers,

colleagues or partners.

Disclaimer: This employee internet usage policy template is meant to provide general guidelines and should be us
account all relevant local, state or federal laws and is not a legal document. Neither the author nor Workable will
from the use of this policy.

DOWNLOAD THIS SAMPLE AS PDF DOCUMENT

mployee social media policy
sample
This sample Employee Social Media Policy is ready
to be tailored to your company’s needs and should be
considered a starting point for establishing policies for
use of social media in the workplace by employees.

Policy brief & purpose

Our social media company policy provides a framework for using
social media. Social media is a place where people exchange
information, opinions and experiences to learn, develop and have fun.
Whether employees are handling a corporate account or use one of
their own, they should remain productive. This policy provides practical
advice to avoid issues that might arise by careless use of social
media in the workplace.

Scope
We expect all our employees to follow this policy.

Policy elements
“Social media” refers to a variety of online communities like blogs,
social networks, chat rooms and forums. This policy covers all of them.
 We consider two different elements: using personal social media at
work and representing our company through social media.

Using personal social media

We allow employees to access their personal accounts at work. But,
we expect them to act responsibly and ensure their productivity
isn’t affected. Using social media excessively while at work can
reduce efficiency and concentration. Whether employees are using
their accounts for business or personal purposes, they may easily get
sidetracked by the vast amount of available content.

We advise our employees to:

 Use their common sense. If employees neglect their job duties

to spend time on social media, their decline in productivity will show on
their performance reviews. 

 Ensure others know that personal account or statements

don’t represent our company. Employees shouldn’t state or imply
that their personal opinions and content are authorized or endorsed by
our company. We advise using a disclaimer such as “opinions are my
own” to avoid misunderstandings.

 Avoid sharing intellectual property like trademarks on a

personal account without approval. Confidentiality policies and
laws always apply.

 Avoid any defamatory, offensive or derogatory content. It

may be considered as a violation of our company’s anti-harassment
policy, if directed towards colleagues, clients or partners.

Representing our company

Some employees represent our company by handling corporate social
media accounts or speak on our company’s behalf. We expect them
to act carefully and responsibly to protect our company’s image and
reputation. Employees should:

 Be respectful, polite and patient, when engaging in

conversations on our company’s behalf. They should be extra careful
when making declarations or promises towards customers and
stakeholders
 Avoid speaking on matters outside their field of
expertise when possible. Everyone should be careful not to answer
questions or make statements that fall under somebody else’s
responsibility

 Follow our confidentiality policy and data

protection policy and observe laws on copyright, trademarks,
plagiarism and fair use

 Inform our [PR/Marketing department] when they’re about to

share any major-impact content

 Avoid deleting or ignoring comments for no reason. They

should listen and reply to criticism.

 Never post discriminatory, offensive or libelous content and

commentary

 Correct or remove any misleading or false content as quickly as

possible

Disciplinary Consequences
We’ll monitor all social media postings on our corporate account.

We may have to take disciplinary action leading up to and including

termination if employees do not follow this policy’s guidelines.
Examples of non-conformity with the employee social media policy
include but are not limited to:

 Disregarding job responsibilities and deadlines to use social

media

 Disclosing confidential information through personal or corporate

accounts

 Directing offensive comments towards other members of the

online community

Disclaimer: This policy template is meant to provide general guidelines and should be used as a reference. It may
or federal laws and is not a legal document. Neither the author nor Workable will assume any legal liability that m