Instant Messaging in the Workplace Not Necessarily Confidential

By now we all know that email messages can come back to haunt. And so can instant messages, as we've seen in the case of former Republican congressman Mark Foley of Florida. His inappropriate, and disturbing, instant messages to Capitol Hill pages are now evidence in a situation that is rocking the halls of Congress.

And while it seems that quick exchanges of text vanish after IM users sign off, the lesson here is, not so. The contents of IM sessions can easily be copied and pasted into separate files that can literally last in perpetuity.

So, the word to the working is that use of IM at work is no quick, confidential exchange. Far from it. Companies are starting to take notice of IM abuse, and and responding by implementing policies, either banning or restricting it, and installing network devices to track it down.

So don't be fooled. Instant messaging at work, like all other forms of communication, should be relevant, free of profanities, and, of course, appropriate. Otherwise, it can rock your employment security.

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