WORKPLACE

The Tangled Web of Porn In the Office

By Anna Kuchment and Karen Springen | NEWSWEEK
Published Nov 29, 2008
From the magazine issue dated Dec 8, 2008

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  • Posted By: dowhatsright @ 11/30/2008 4:21:13 AM

    It's interesting, porn is an addiction, just like alcohol and tobacco yet we have all kinds of programs to help the addicted worker with a problem with alchohol or tobacco and we fire the one who looks up porn on line. Something is wrong with how we view this problem.

    • Posted By: Insane_in_Philly @ 12/20/2008 1:24:20 PM

      Think about it. No one in their right mind would risk getting fired by viewing porn at work. You'd have to be crazy or addicted. Either way, you need help if you're doing this at work. There are plenty out there who are addicted to porn. I know that they won't get any sympathy in the midst of our politically correct society, but they still need help to get free of the addiction.

    • Posted By: insane in Philly @ 12/20/2008 1:11:40 PM

      You've raised an important point. The only (sane) reason anyone would view porn at work and risk getting fired is because they are out of control: addicted. Viewing porn at work isn't a slip or a mistake, it's a tragic decision that no one would do in their right minds. I don't expect many to agree with me, and I don't look forward to sympathy for the addict. But I think it is addiction.

  • Posted By: CHATO4444 @ 11/29/2008 11:14:41 PM

    SAA....Save your job, marriage, life through recover from sexual addiction.

    • Posted By: insane in Philly @ 12/20/2008 1:18:46 PM

      Think about it. No one in their right mind would risk getting fired by viewing porn at work. You'd have to be crazy or addicted. Either way, you need help if you're doing this at work. There are plenty out there who are addicted to porn. I know that they won't get any sympathy in the midst of our politically correct society, but they still need help to get free of the addiction.

  • Posted By: kadry15 @ 12/18/2008 10:20:00 AM

    On the Jay Leno show he said that 50-something % of Americans don't think seeing porn is a sin (forgot exact #).
    Employees need to be checked on???look at porn off the clock. You work to help the company, stop playing on company time! If an employee is off schedule then they can do what they want.

  • Posted By: lagatto @ 12/12/2008 8:47:55 AM

    I would like to add that most of porn sites are simply horrible. Erotism is another thing, much more healthier, but porn? I wonder why educated adults woring in an office envirnonment would want to watch the same old filthy things when the Internet is full of much more interesting information if you have spare time.

  • Posted By: lagatto @ 12/12/2008 8:43:35 AM

    Dear Marcus Aurelius, your comment is a perfect show of explicit racial discrimination against whites. What makes you think that white folks don't have to work to put food on their tables? Are poor African Americans the only ones who actually work? Please. . .

  • Posted By: smokified @ 11/29/2008 9:09:40 PM

    As a Technical Consutant/Network Engineer/Network Administrator (glorified IT guy...) I see this on a regular basis. This article is fairly inaccurate, as is the comment by ru4real6846. The reason I say this is because it is usually the "bosses" that are the most guilty. A couple other reasons are the improper capitalization of "the Internet", and the missing fact that most viruses are actually contracted through emails, and also most people at work are exposed to the porn through emails and don't "willingly" browse to it while browsing the internet.

    A few tips for everyone to consider:
    1) No matter how proud you are of your position at work, and no matter how high up the ladder you may be, it is your IT department that holds the fate of your company in it's hands. Without them, you would not be able to work and therefore your company would cease to exist.

    2) Your IT guy(s) can see EVERYTHING that you do without so much as lifting a finger a couple times. It is so simple as a matter of fact that it can be done from home.

    3) Email is NOT private in any way shape or form. Not only is it easy for hackers to intercept and redirect email, it is also a matter of 3 clicks for your IT guy to have an exact duplicate copy of your "mailbox" on a different computer without your knowledge.

    4) Deleting a file only deletes the file for people who do not have above average computer knowledge. With simple downloadable freeware software one can recover deleted files 99.999998 percent of the time (and I am talking about after you empty your recycle bin). I have recovered files with a 100% sucess rate on a hard drive that was formatted 3 times.

    5) You are not sneaky, nor will that little trick your overacheiving computer genius child taught you outsmart a professional computer technician.

    6) Browsing the internet should be treated like sex. If you do too much of it without the proper protection and education, you are bound to catch something undesireable.

    • Posted By: oak23 @ 11/30/2008 8:36:17 AM

      It may interest smokified to know that the Internet is properly capitalized. Perhaps the person who writes "holds the fate of your company in it's hands" should demonstrate some skill in grammar and spelling before criticizing that of others.

      • Posted By: markci @ 11/30/2008 10:07:17 AM

        LOL. Yeah, he doesn't seem too bright. An IT drone who doesn't know that the Internet is capitalized -- that's a classic.

        • Posted By: Asimov @ 12/10/2008 2:12:00 PM

          I would just like to note that capitalization has another meaning related to money making and that might be what our IT guy implied when he alluded to the improper capitalization of the internet meaning the fact that people make money on the wrong things using the internet as a tool.

        • Posted By: Kacky @ 11/30/2008 11:28:20 AM

          As the mother of an autistic savant, I can understand your inclination to look down on the mere mortals you have to put up with all day. But I know from experience that you often look for ways to put up obstructions rather than solve the problems you're hired to fix. The truth is, you wouldn't be able to function in their world, so it's you who would not have have a job. Without them, you'd be living in your mom's guest room, eating Captain Crunch and spouting Monty Python all day.

      • Posted By: tobeornot @ 11/30/2008 12:42:24 PM

        Good to know. I've always wondered how much control an IT person has or would use to his or her liking. I am one of "those" people that do not have the "above average computer knowledge", so I take your advice with a grain of salt! Lol thanks. Note- advice from an IT person who knows about computers is relevant to the story; therefore, grammar usage is not.

  • Posted By: tiredgirlie @ 12/01/2008 5:19:51 PM

    Gotta say, Newsweek...didn't know you had porn on your site, but I think most Americans would find the comment by qeuiorqweuiorioqweruio @ 11/30/2008 11:42:26 AM pretty damn raunchy. Get rid of it, please & sooner would be appreciated.

  • Posted By: kapauldo @ 11/30/2008 5:44:09 PM

    (linkback) Funny or Foul? At-work porn viewing up from last year - it's up to 25% [VOTE] - http://www.thriveorfail.com/b67f7

  • Posted By: ru4real6846 @ 11/29/2008 8:02:35 PM

    When one is at work, they are suppose to be working, not checking out porn. The boss should fire them on the spot.

    • Posted By: Anon E. Moose @ 11/30/2008 12:05:22 PM

      What if it's my job to watch porn...?

      • Posted By: noirablue @ 11/30/2008 12:31:59 PM

        Then you have a REALLY good job--where do I sign up? I actually see a lot of porn at work. Why? Because--wait for it--I'm a Librarian, and we provide free, unfiltered internet for your viewing pleasure. And a lot of people take advantage of that, rather than reading De Sade. That poor guy sits on the shelf awaiting a willing playmate.

        • Posted By: voxsilen @ 11/30/2008 3:31:19 PM

          LOL. Let the bastard rot.

    • Posted By: Madashellmom @ 11/30/2008 1:37:14 AM

      My sentiments exactly!

  • Posted By: davidrayrob @ 11/30/2008 2:52:04 AM

    Sex makes the world go around, deny it of not. It's the most pleasurable thing we can do.

    • Posted By: voxsilen @ 11/30/2008 3:26:35 PM

      Yep....coming from the hedonist.

  • Posted By: dhopfe @ 11/30/2008 3:14:40 PM

    Makes me wonder why someone would want to take the risk of getting fired for viewing porn while at work? Yes it is true you would not want to do that for the simple reason you can do it on your personal time at home not at work during company time. Even on your break at work you would not want to surf the net for Porn sites. It is very inappropriate.

  • Posted By: voxsilen @ 11/30/2008 2:16:14 PM

    This article says it all. There are not a lot of men out there who can resist the temptation of objectifying women and destroying their own lives. We've become just a bunch of little boys wanting to play with our "toy gun" all day long. We don't even want to put in a decent day's work anymore. The porn industry has helped destroy the true meaning of what it is like to be a real male in this day and age. Thanks a lot a**holes!

  • Posted By: pasc2 @ 11/30/2008 1:51:39 PM

    Who do you think you are kidding to say that people are viewing pornography as works of art and not in a sexual manner?! Have you ever been educated on the psychology behind it and the detriments it causes to relationships and the way women are viewed? If someone choses to view that type of material, for any reason, it is their choice to do on their time. There is no way that is acceptable at work

  • Posted By: newsjunkie2 @ 11/30/2008 12:19:30 AM

    Anything you view online in the privacy of home is bound to follow you to the workplace. I say as long as it doesn't seriously affect work performance, let it be. A happy employee is an extremely productive one!

    • Posted By: Madashellmom @ 11/30/2008 1:45:03 AM

      I wouldn't be happy working with your sleazy ass!

      • Posted By: tobeornot @ 11/30/2008 1:09:52 PM

        What's ironic is that you are probably working with a bunch of ???sleazy asses", (was it 29 percent?) and you don???t even know it. Think outside the box. Not every person is the same and I'm sure we all get offended at one time or another. Someone looking at porn at work; how does that affect you as a coworker? That's all we are really discussing here. The article is about viewing porn at work.

      • Posted By: JasonMan @ 11/30/2008 1:56:04 AM

        dude that comment is kind of sleazy itself. Try to sound professional here instead of sounding like some punk kid with a smart mouth who insults people.

  • Posted By: Darkseid723 @ 11/30/2008 12:48:58 PM

    Lets get one thing straight folks The actual meaning behind pornography isn't the point to look at someones body in a sexual fantasy. But to view the body as art, you are the ultimate creation, your beautiful YOU are a work of art. For those that cannot see it as such do have an issue or an addiction to sex. Which yes is labeled as an addiction. But before you make a second handed guess on what you believe...please become educated.

  • Posted By: justlikehoney1 @ 11/30/2008 1:02:55 AM

    I'm a female & I work for Playboy TV. Nope, that's not a joke. Nope, that's not a lie. I create the schedules for the international networks. I have a 19" tv/vcr with cable @ my desk. I am able to / encouraged to watch porn but I rarely do. After 7 years on the job, I guess I'm jaded. It's not a big deal to me anymore. Apparently not to my hubby either since he can get free porn whenever he wants to but he chooses not to.

    We've been married for 12 years and I really do feel like many women stop doing the things for their hubby that they did when they were dating. Don't get too excited, men. You are guilty of this, too. This is not to say that fantasies will cease to exist even if you are completely sexually satisfied. My point is that you need to a) continue to do all of the sexual things you did when you were dating and b) you need to understand that fantasy if a part of being human - male or female. We all fantasize. We all imagine. As long as it's done on the low & without disrespect then it's no big deal. Long live screwing & fantasizing!

    • Posted By: Andrea M. @ 11/30/2008 3:35:47 AM

      Amen. I do agree with you. Much too often, couples underestimate the importance of intimacy and a strong, exciting sex life. These things are so important in a relationship, and not just in the dating stage, but throughout the life of the relationship. When the sex life in a relationship becomes neglected and starts to die, the relationship itelf is soon to follow. Believe me, I've seen it happen to many otherwise good relationships.

      • Posted By: noirablue @ 11/30/2008 12:39:01 PM

        Amen to justlikehoney and Andrea M--strong, intelligent, sexy women. Hope the real men out there are listening--we have needs and desires, too. Come and get us.

  • Posted By: Lucrezia28 @ 11/30/2008 12:34:25 PM

    Countless relationships are being destroyed by pornography and mine is one of them. This filth has permeated our lives, put children at risk, and is decaying our society. Why is nobody doing anything about it? Women, men and children are being portrayed as nothing more than something to f**k! When, as a society, did we allow this to happen? The number one peeve I have is that our children, innocent children, are being used in porn, being subjected to porn, and having their lives destroyed because of porn. IT MAKES ME VERY ANGRY!!! As a society we need to join together and do something about this, when did we become so depraved and indifferent? Why are semi-naked women okay on TV.? I totally blame the media bombarding us with stories, pictures, etc. of young women and men in various states of undress, yet at the same time telling us that worship at our churches will fulfill our souls. This country is a mess as far a sexuality goes, pushing semi-pornographic images but at the same time supposedly pushing family values. give me a break! America wake up!!!!!!!!!!! First and foremost, let's protect our children. Secondly, let's protect women, and then finally, ATTACK the porn industry, this is not OKAY!!!!!! EYES OPEN NOT CLOSED.

  • Posted By: Markus515 @ 11/30/2008 12:06:53 PM

    TO NEWSWEEK: Allowing such racial slurs goes way beyond first amendment principles.... ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS?????

  • Posted By: Markus515 @ 11/30/2008 12:02:28 PM

    NEWSWEEK>>> HOW CAN THESE RACIAL SLURS BE ALLOWED? NOBODY MONITORING??? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS?????????????

  • Posted By: glasgowkiss73 @ 11/30/2008 11:37:29 AM

    In respose to - Posted By: smokinchevy @ 11/30/2008 8:54:59 AM
    Fair comment....however porn in the workplace is a ridicolous choice . One which obviously many workers feel the need to make ... perhaps HR should not only look at their internal processes & procedures but also the calibre of staff they recruit. I rest my case.

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