Overseeing Instant Messaging Usage

I found an article online about monitoring IM usage-a tool that could be useful for businesses that incorporate IM into their daily lives. Now, there are a variety of software that allow for businesses to oversee employee IM usage. Some examples are IMlogic, Akonix L7 Enterprise, and Facetime's IM Auditor. With these softwares, companies can allow certain conversations, search for specific keywords, or even disable specific file transfers. IM use can be restricted to certain times of the day, or even certain days of the week with these software. As I mentioned in my previous blog, one of the challenges businesses face with IM usage, a tool capable of great communication, is employee abuse. But with one of these monitoring software, employees would feel a need to be more productive at work and are less likely to abuse IM. These software could be a great contribution to companies who are concerned about employee IM abuse.

One of the cons of these software is that it is very costly. The article estimates the cost of installing this software on a midsized companies hardware at $30,000-$50,000. Again, this depends on the size of the company, but as you can see, this software is not cheap. In the end, companies must decide whether the IM abuse outweighs the cost of the software download. I just thought it was interesting that companies now have the power to secure, control and manage employee IM use. Sure it takes away from employee privacy, but IM should not be used for personal use in a business setting.

Lastly, one of the controversies about installing security software is that social networking sites, like Facebook, now have pop up chat features embedded on their websites. Because Facebook is a website, not an instant messaging software, employees are now being found on these kind of social networking sites rather than signing onto AIM. This type of IM abuse is difficult to track, and perhaps I'll look into it a little more in my next blog. Stay tuned!