According to a new survey by Elitetele.com of 2,000 UK workers, one in five have accessed porn and/or adult websites using a personal device which is also used for work (26% of men and 18% of women).
Moreover, one in 10 (15% of men and 8% of women) will have accessed such content on a corporate-issued device. This brings a whole new look to BYOD culture, and not one employers will welcome.
One in four UK consumers are unaware visiting porn and/or adult websites could lead to their device being infected by viruses that could compromise data. Even more shocking is the admission that a fifth using a personal device for work as part of a BYOD scheme WOULD NOT tell their employer about a potential threat to business they had caused as a result of accessing such content.
The shame of being pinpointed by an employer for accessing such content outweighs evidence of job hunting, derogatory remarks made about a colleague, a criminal conviction, office ‘love’ or an addiction to gambling, drugs or alcohol.
“Businesses want to give staff access to devices which can improve productivity and mobility, but they need to ensure these are equipped and updated with the latest technology to secure corporate networks from increasingly complex threats.
“Businesses should look at putting a Unified Threat Management facility in place alongside robust BYOD policies to safeguard against such intrusions, providing peace of mind that they have the best possible defence against cyber sleuths,” said Russell Horton, COO at Elitetele.com.
Monty Munford has more than 15 years' experience in mobile, digital media, web and journalism. He is the founder of Mob76, a company that helps tech companies raise money and exit. He speaks regularly at global media events with a focus on Africa, writes a weekly column for The Telegraph, is a regular contributor to The Economist, Wired, Mashable and speaks regularly on the BBC World Service.
