Using company phone/computer for personal use?

Austerlitz

Do you do it?

Should you do it?

jive

Yes, I do it.

Yes, if given permission. No if it's not ok with your employer.

Ask them, it will vary company to company.

Mrs OBumble

Phone - no, there's no need, everyone has a cellphone these days.

Computer - yes, sometimes. Limited, and only for this which are 100% SFW.

jack presley

As long as you don't take the piss, most companies wouldn't have a problem with the odd bit of personal use I wouldn't think.

Manach

Just remember that data stored on the devices could be viewable by the company, Data protection laws notwithstanding.

Mr. Loverman

Just be aware your manager knows when you're surfing the web. You aren't cleverly getting away with it. So limit it to your downtime and don't take the piss.

Same goes for when you come in late btw. Just because she didn't say something doesn't mean you got away with it.

Stavro Mueller

I've a friend who worked in an office where they'd print out everyone's browsing history at the end of the week and they had to sign it.

In my job we all had to sign an internet usage document. I can't find it just now but the general gist of it is that limited personal use is ok but it's monitored. I prefer to just use my smartphone for those illicit internet moments

Donald73

Where I last worked we were allowed to use the internet during our lunchbreaks, just once we weren't taking the pee then they didn't mind. Some did take advantage though and were on websites during the day and the CEO had to send an email to everyone, as he said he could (if he wanted to) see exactly what pages of a news website people were on etc. so most companies would be the same and it wouldn't be a good idea to constantly take sneaky little internet breaks IMO.

I would only use it with permission like that, if they didn't offer it then I'd just use my smartphone at lunchtime if there was something I needed to do or check (or if I wanted a fix of boards.ie) I would rather read a book or do something else in general though in that time to relax a bit.

Stavro Mueller

I'm friendly with someone who works in I.T. in my job and if they wanted, they could read absolutely everything you email, every website you visit. I don't think they do but there is no point in drawing needless attention to yourself. All those pages you visit mount up!

Naturally the phone bills are itemized too. I know someone in one of our other offices got into trouble years ago for making foreign phone calls.

ABajaninCork

I never used company mobiles for personal calls. I did however use the phone occasionally if I needed to make an important call, that couldn't wait. And I did use the e-mail on occasion too, but it was for fairly innocent stuff (before I got my own PC).

In my last role, it was an open internet policy which surprised me a bit. I often walked in on my boss browsing Facebook!!

ToxicPaddy

It's really up to the company, I have a personal mobile and a work mobile.

If I need to make a personal call when abroad with work, I use my work mobile as instructed by the company as long as I don't take the p*ss. Saves hassle of claiming back expenses when I get back.

As for personal use of a company pc or laptop, I surf the web a bit in work but just general stuff at lunch. I don't store personal information on it.
The company block all third party webmail and social networking sites.

They have strict rules in place blocking large amounts of sites so very little inappropriate nsfw content can be viewed and they have used proxy logs in the past when disciplinary actions are taken against staff who aren't doing their jobs.

Everything in moderation is find imo