# Can my employer monitor my smartphone internet use? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 14, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161 "2013-01-14T13:20:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/1 "2013-01-14T13:20:55Z")
My office has a pretty strict policy regarding using the internet for non-work purposes, and makes no secret that our IT department regularly monitors which websites staff are visiting. So I was wondering whether this applies to any surfing I do on my iPhone. I assume that if I am connecting through my office’s wifi that is the same as surfing through my desktop work station. But what about if I disable wifi and surf through the regular 3G network. They can’t track that can they? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/2 "2013-01-14T13:27:34Z")
They can’t track your 3G usage (I mean, it’s probably not absolutely technically impossible, but they won’t be doing that). They can fairly easily track what you’re doing on their WiFi though - but are you sure that’s what your smartphone is using? You may have WiFi switched on, but unless you’ve explicitly connected to their network (and entered a passphrase or some such), your phone probably is not using it. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/3 "2013-01-14T13:36:29Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > They can’t track your 3G usage (I mean, it’s probably not absolutely technically impossible, but they won’t be doing that). What about if the smartphone belongs to **Orville mogul** ’s employer? It’s hard to imagine there’s not some way or another for a curious employer to monitor 3G traffic on their own plans. ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/4 "2013-01-14T13:41:43Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > They can fairly easily track what you’re doing on their WiFi though - but are you sure that’s what your smartphone is using? You may have WiFi switched on, but unless you’ve explicitly connected to their network (and entered a passphrase or some such), your phone probably is not using it. Yes, I have set up my phone to use the office wifi, password and all. Basically, I figured I could use my lunch break to pay my bills etc online and thought I would be all clever and do it with my iphone. But it’s not so clever if it is still through the office wifi :smack: But crisis averted. Anyway, it’s good to know that 3G should be safe. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/5 "2013-01-14T14:23:40Z")
Unless the phone is actually issued by your employer, or you are using their network, unauthorized access to your phone would be a felony under the federal Computer Fraud & Abuse Act or your state’s equivalent (and under the federal act you would have grounds for a civil suit). ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/6 "2013-01-14T15:23:46Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Unless the phone is actually issued by your employer, or you are using their network, unauthorized access to your phone would be a felony under the federal Computer Fraud & Abuse Act or your state’s equivalent (and under the federal act you would have grounds for a civil suit). In order to access my companies email on my my privately owned smartphone I was required to give my companies IT department administration rights to my cell phone. This meant that they I had to password protect the phone and allow them the ability to wipe out the phones data if the phone got stolen (or if I left the company in a bad way). ``` I imagine most corporations make similar demands before allowing access to systems, possibly even if it is just casual use of their wi-fi connection. If there is a terms of use statement before you are allowed to log in I'll just bet that there is a clause in there that states you can be monitored, even if it is a blind threat and they don't have the technology or personnel to do so. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/7 "2013-01-14T16:30:40Z")
> [@Orville\_mogul](#): > > Yes, I have set up my phone to use the office wifi, password and all. > > Basically, I figured I could use my lunch break to pay my bills etc online and thought I would be all clever and do it with my iphone. But it’s not so clever if it is still through the office wifi :smack: > > But crisis averted. Anyway, it’s good to know that 3G should be safe. Most sites use SSL encryption (the little padlock icon) for financial transactions. Regardless of whether you use a desktop or a phone, if you see an unbroken padlock in the browser, it means that your employer can’t see what you do on those sites. (they may, however, be able to see that you’ve visited those sites which might be enough to get you in trouble). ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/8 "2013-01-14T16:33:33Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > ``` > I imagine most corporations make similar demands before allowing access to systems, possibly even if it is just casual use of their wi-fi connection. If there is a terms of use statement before you are allowed to log in I'll just bet that there is a clause in there that states you can be monitored, even if it is a blind threat and they don't have the technology or personnel to do so. > > ``` True. I was referring solely to his use of a cellular network while at the employer’s premises. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/9 "2013-01-14T16:52:23Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > (they may, however, be able to see that you’ve visited those sites which might be enough to get you in trouble). I was checking my bank balance! I have a savings account at Back Door Sluts. com! ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/10 "2013-01-14T17:45:48Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > In order to access my companies email on my my privately owned smartphone I was required to give my companies IT department administration rights to my cell phone. This meant that they I had to password protect the phone and allow them the ability to wipe out the phones data if the phone got stolen (or if I left the company in a bad way). IT guy here, with a similar policy. I can force you to lock your phone, I can remove your access to company email, and I can wipe it remotely if it gets lost. That’s the extent of my powers. I cannot read your email (well, ok, I can, but through other means, and only your work email), see your text or photos, or monitor your phone’s web browser if you’re on 3G and not our wifi. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/11 "2013-01-14T17:53:21Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > I was checking my bank balance! I have a savings account at Back Door Sluts. com! When you make a deposit, do you lose interest? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/12 "2013-01-14T18:21:32Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > When you make a deposit, do you lose interest? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ed\_anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@ed\_anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ed_anger)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/13 "2013-01-14T18:30:27Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > In order to access my companies email on my my privately owned smartphone I was required to give my companies IT department administration rights to my cell phone. This meant that they I had to password protect the phone and allow them the ability to wipe out the phones data if the phone got stolen (or if I left the company in a bad way). > > ``` > I imagine most corporations make similar demands before allowing access to systems, possibly even if it is just casual use of their wi-fi connection. If there is a terms of use statement before you are allowed to log in I'll just bet that there is a clause in there that states you can be monitored, even if it is a blind threat and they don't have the technology or personnel to do so. > > ``` To access corporate email on your phone is vastly different from casual wifi connectivity imho. Anyway, I’ve personally never experienced such agreements but I work in advertising, not a field like finance where I would expect such things to be enforced. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/14 "2013-01-15T03:03:26Z")
Your employer could easily (and legally) install a security camera in your office/cubicle and _see_ what you’re doing on your phone. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/15 "2013-01-15T03:16:03Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > In order to access my companies email on my my privately owned smartphone I was required to give my companies IT department administration rights to my cell phone. This meant that they I had to password protect the phone and allow them the ability to wipe out the phones data if the phone got stolen (or if I left the company in a bad way). Doesn’t this require a separate app being installed on the phone? I rooted my android phone and even I wouldn’t be able to take control of it remotely without a hosting app to give me access - at least AFAIK. So if control of the phone requires such an app, it should be a simple matter to sandbox it so that it has no idea that it is actually isolated and has none of the control that it thinks it has. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/16 "2013-01-15T04:05:02Z")
> [@deltasigma](#): > > Doesn’t this require a separate app being installed on the phone? > > I rooted my android phone and even I wouldn’t be able to take control of it remotely without a hosting app to give me access - at least AFAIK. > > So if control of the phone requires such an app, it should be a simple matter to sandbox it so that it has no idea that it is actually isolated and has none of the control that it thinks it has. This is part of the Exchange ActiveSync protocol built into the OS of the iPhone. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/17 "2013-01-15T05:07:41Z")
Ah. Apologies. I glossed over the ‘iphone’ part in the OP and even if I hadn’t, I keep forgetting how different the 2 environments are. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/18 "2013-01-15T05:32:48Z")
> [@deltasigma](#): > > Ah. Apologies. I glossed over the ‘iphone’ part in the OP and even if I hadn’t, I keep forgetting how different the 2 environments are. Exchange for Android makes you agree to similar conditions if you set it up on your phone. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/19 "2013-01-15T08:48:39Z")
There’s also Google’s [Device Policy for Android](http://support.google.com/a/users/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=190930), meant to give admins the same powers over your phone. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161/20 "2013-01-15T14:40:00Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Your employer could easily (and legally) install a security camera in your office/cubicle and _see_ what you’re doing on your phone. That would depend on what state the OP is in. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-employer-monitor-my-smartphone-internet-use/647161.md?page=2)