I’d like to check out my local paper’s online classifieds without my employer getting wise. They tell me that they do track web sites visited, so if I could somehow open a page within another page, like with Google cacheing, or mask the address in some other way that would be great. Any ideas?
If you’re a unix kinda person, you can ssh to a remote host, and lynx what you’re looking for from there. That’s text-only, though. You’ll need to have an excuse for why you’re ssh-ing to the hop machine, but noone will know what you’re actually doing through that tunnel.
Instead of pissing off your employer, why don’t you just do your personal browsing at home?
Instead of making uninvited editorial comments, why don’t you just bite me?
Jeez, it’s not like I’m asking for suggestions on how to embezzle. :rolleyes:
Assuming you’re doing this solely for mental health reasons and not to hide immoral, unprofessional or criminal activity from your employer, www.anonymizer.com would meet your needs.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’m not much good beyond a Windows environment, though.
Thanks! The reasons I’d use it–and I’m not really sure that I will in any case–would be just as I stated in the OP. Finding a way to get out of this job might qualify as mental health reasons, I guess.
The anonymiser (or similar products) might not work. AFAIK, these software packages work by connecting to anonymous proxies. This is very good for a stand alone computer, but won’t work if your company monitors the connections at low- level or even worse, if they are logging keystrokes.
BTW, a list of proxies can be found here: http://www.samair.ru/proxy/content/view/12/27/
Really? Aren’t you spending time that this employer is paying you for to instead look for another job? And asking ofr suggestions on how to do it without being caught? Isn’t that “embezzling” part of your paycheck?
Yeah, I know we’ve all occasionally done personal tasks on work time.
But most of us don’t act snotty and get on some ethical high horse when called on it.
Not to mention the fact that anonymizer.com will show up in the logs every time you used it, and your boss would probably assume something much worse than the truth.
One nitpick though, the service does encrypt everything using https, so low level packet intercepts would not be a problem.
/gets on his high horse to look the others in the eye.
So what if he does it during break or on lunch? Does he just need to reimburse for electricity and call it even? I really don’t think he’s looking for a moral debate, just a straight answer that does not violate any state or federal laws.
How soon do you plan to switch jobs? I don’t think that kind of info would get back to your manager for at least several weeks. And you could always give some lame excuse if questioned. “oh, i’m helping a friend out who doesn’t have net access.”
And the rest of us “don’t act snotty and get on some ethical high horse” by slagging off people for doing “personal tasks on work time.”
We just try to answer the GQ, as is appropriate to the forum.
It is not likely that he can accomplish this. In every jusidiction that I’m aware of, you may not use an employer’s computers for activity not condoned by them. The company owns the machine, they supply the electricity, the environment, and bear the liability for your actions (to an extent).
Some places (such as Ontario, Canada) have laws that require an employer to disclose if they monitor surfing habits or email, but I’ve never heard of anywhere (at least in North America) that outright prohibits an employer from safeguarding the use of their systems, through policy or technology.
But surely the legislation (if, indeed, it exists–do you have a cite?) would not simply forbid activity “not condoned by” the employers. Rather, it is much more likely that it would bar employees from using their employers’ computers for any activity specifically disallowed by the employer. Computers have so many potential uses that companies would have to have a fairly specific policy about what is and is not acceptable use of company computers.
Also, your whole post fails to distinguish between “something the OP doesn’t want the company to know about” and “something the OP’s company disallows.” The two are not necessarily the same thing.
GQ is starting to sound like “the Pit” for wimps.
The anonymizer might look suspicious.
I don’t know anything about your environment, but if it is like most places, they warn that internet usage is monitored and they have the right to parse the logs, but do they have the manpower?
Automated software, generally, doesn’t flag classified listings. Heck, it doesn’t, generally, flag sites like monster.com. It can be configured to watch for these, but probably isn’t. So, there is little chance that the automated software, if it exists in your environment, will flag a visit to classified ads. It will flag visits to anonymizer.com. There are damned few legitimate reasons to use anonymizer.com for business related purposes. Actually, I can’t think of one.
Still, there might be an IT person looking through the logs for some other reason. I doubt he or she would twitch on classified ads. They just don’t jump out.
If you have been warned not to use the internet connection for anything other than business purposes, which is so rare it’s ridiculous, then don’t do it.
If you have just been told that they monitor usage, then they are most likely looking for porn, games, viruses and gross time-wasting (like the latest meme game that was too cute to stop playing).
Don’t panic. Big brother wants to watch you, but he doesn’t have the time or money to do it constantly.
Sorry, I don’t have cites (how do all you people manage to come up with cites for everything so fast? 
), but I have read numerous places that you have no legal expectation of privacy in e-mail or web-surfing at work. It’s not a specific law, just the fact that you are at work, presumed to be doing your job, and using your employer’s property and resources. I don’t think a company would have to have a particularly specific policy about acceptable use of computers (although they might choose to do so to save legal hassles) - acceptable use of company computers would be whatever your job entails.
Please do pay attention to their little disclaimer asking you not to use it if the reason you arent supposed to be surfing is because you are in charge of a nuclear reactor or something.
Please keep this thread factual.
Please use other forums for opinions, debates or flames. Thank you.
-xash
General Questions Moderator