Computer Monitoring – Annoying?

Imagine the situation when you are happily working to your current project using the PC in front of you, then came a popup message notifying you of a new email have been received from a colleague. Seeing the 'Urgent' label across the mail you clicked it open to find it to be a gossip about your boss's weird looking necktie is all wrong with his pink blazer and blue slacks. Soon you see both of you being called into your boss's office facing your ugly nightmare.

Because of the terminal monitoring software installed in your computer. Making it a chance for your boss to monitor your every email you've sent or received using your desktop. It may be just pure luck for your boss to notice this funny email, or it is there on purpose to catch gossipers around.

Yes it is wrong to not paying attention while working, but at least better than using the computer to commit crimes or threats. Monitoring an employee's work desktop should not be that strict until it is not possible to let employees having at least some freedom of using the company's resource.

Privacy, defined as information being shared within a secluded group of people or alone, should not be invaded, either in both real world or on this scenario, virtually. Employers have the right to monitor your mailbox for worrying the leak of company secrets or so, but taking things like the case above this seriously will only cause a workgroup to be working involuntarily.

This is not only happening in the workplace, but also in schools, homes, and even cyber cafes. Schools with computer laboratories often imply strict monitoring methods to avoid students accessing harmful websites such as online pornography, bomb making sites, and sites full of viruses and worms. We can see the need of computer monitoring here but blocking out online messenger services within friends, or even doing a research about 'Sextuplets', who would want to expect the monitoring software to block the search site and notify the teachers?