Truth behind what your employer can actually see when browsing the internet at work

A cheeky Facebook scroll here, a sneaky online shopping session there...browsing the internet at work is a bit of a bad habit which a lot of people are guilty of.

We often forget that there is a digital footprint of it all - as well as a paper trail of all of our work-related activities on the internet, including your communications with colleagues and clients.

There is always a worry that when you're bargain hunting on the sly or slating a co-worker on Slack that your boss might rumble you, but how much can they actually see of what your doing on your screen?

Don't get me wrong, businesses can have good reason to keep tabs on what its workforce is up to online, but it does feel like a strange invasion of privacy too - a bit like Big Brother but on the office computers.

A whopping 52.6 percent of people said they sent or received personal emails from a work device, 37.8 percent admitted to online shopping and 25 percent saying they checked their social media in a survey conducted by Malwarebytes.

So as you can see, loads of employees input a lot of their personal information into gadgets which their firm owns.

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What can exactly your employer track on your work computer?

Your employer could potentially be able to follow a lot of the breadcrumb trail you leave behind while browsing the internet on your work computer, according to experts at TechRound.

The computer boffins warn that companies might use 'remote employee monitoring software' to have a gander at your online activity or by simply checking your search history.

Using your office's WiFi network is what's to blame for this apparently, as they have access to the data which shows all of the comings and goings on the firm's internet network - whether it's a work device or not.

Your employer might also be doing routine sweeps of everyone's email accounts to check everything is hunky dory, as they can read anything that's sent or received from your work account.

According to the tech experts, some software even allows bosses to sift through your drafts or deleted emails.

Basically, be careful what you're doing in the workplace - as even communication platform's like Slack aren't safe.

Can your employer see your browsing history even if I’m at home?

You would reckon that surfing the web in the comfort in your own home wouldn't be any of your boss' business, but it seems that they can still check up on you outside of the office too.

TechRound say that if, for example, you have a work laptop which is occasionally connected to the firm's WiFi network, they might be able to gain access to your online activity which occurs in your humble abode.

The internet whizzes warn that although it might not be commonplace and you are using your own WiFi, 'it is possible for your employer to track your activity even on your personal device if it is connected to the company’s network'.

What should you avoid using your work laptop for?

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The clue is kind of in the name with this one, as if you want to avoid any awkward conversations with your employer, just use your work laptop strictly for work.

Don't store your personal information you wouldn't mind your superiors seeing or pictures from a wild night out on a device given to you by your gaffer - it's pretty simple stuff.

But to make sure you are keeping your nose clean while working away, TechRound advise people not to store any passwords, bank information or basically any private stuff on your employer-given gizmos.

As well as this, remember not to job hunt on your work device - as if your boss gets wind of it, they might end up showing you the door before you've got anything else lined up.

Can you prevent your boss from seeing your browsing history?

Aside from telling your boss to mind their own business, there is a way to stop them from having a good old root through your browsing history.

All you have to do is use your common sense - act accordingly on your work device and just assume that everything you are doing could potentially get back to the higher-ups.

Don't use the office WiFi for your personal devices such as your mobile phone either - make the most of that data you are paying for and browse peacefully in the knowledge that no one else will be able to track your online movements.

TechRound also recommend using a VPN to encrypt all of your internet activity, although that might not exactly be advisable.

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Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

@livburke_