Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
If using your company's machine, it's safe to assume that your boss or IT department could see your emails and instant messages.
I sent a co-worker an instant message through MSN messenger regarding our boss. (We were both in the same office at the time). My boss was seen at my desk looking through my computer. He has spyware installed on the system. Can he retrieve my old MSN instant message that I sent to my co-worker?
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Oh, my, could he ever. I hope what you said wasn't too awful
Even if he weren't standing at your desk, there are several ways he could be keeping track of what's going on on your computer.
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Obviously if he's standing at your desk looking through your computer, just about anything you can see, he can see. That part's obvious.
What's not as obvious is that, like your boss, many businesses apparently install spyware - either on your machine or on the machines that control your access to the internet - and log the traffic. That can be viewed from anywhere the company chooses to allow it.
Remember, when you're using a instant messenger program, even if the person you're chatting with is sitting right next to you, the instant messages will travel on the internet. When you send an IM, the message goes out to the service (AOL, MSN, etc.) where it's routed to the recipient and sent to them. All of this happens over the internet, and if your company is monitoring internet traffic, they can monitor this as well.
The bottom line is that it's really the company's machine, and you should assume that all email, all IM's, all anything are visible to your boss, his boss, and your company's IT department.
In a nutshell: your privacy ends where your paycheck begins.
Article C2222 - November 12, 2004
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
I am a teenage girl and I think it is a total violation of privacy for a parent to rumage through their kid's IM messages unless they have high suspicions (sp?) that their kid is up too something dangerous/illegal.
Posted by: anonymous at February 9, 2007 11:46 AMi know that this is wrong but i just recently found out that my wife had an affair. i'm currently in iraq and i have no way of knowing if it has ended. is there a way that i can retrieve her im from myspace?
Posted by: jonathan at May 22, 2007 10:17 AMI have a feeling my step-mom has retrieving my instant messages, but i dont know how. i have used her computer before. And i have changed my password several times. i just dont know how she could possibly do that.. can she?
Posted by: Ciana at November 13, 2007 6:25 PMHi I use my AOL account for personal use on my company's laptop If my company monitors or ever looks at my laptop can they access/track my AOL emails or websites that I have visited ? Will it help if I clear my footprint/do disc clean ups and delete emails or save them to my aol account?
thanks
Posted by: Sue at November 17, 2007 8:05 AMive been using yahoo chat for years.the problem is a sicko who comes in the room and he has now figured out how to hack others peoples im's. its getting realllllly annoying. he's been reported to yahoo numerous times, standard reply, ignore him. but he can still see us even when we cant see him. Is there a way to stop him?? all we need is an address and i plan to turn him as a pediophile...
Posted by: susan at May 28, 2008 6:34 PM