Security Cited as the Top Reason Why Organizations Use Web Filtering at the Workplace, Survey Finds

Many organizations choose to filter web content in order to boost their employees’ productivity and protect themselves against security threats. But this practice begs two questions. First, to what online services/web sites do organizations commonly restrict access and why? Second, how effective is this practice in defending organizations against security threats?

To answer this question, Spiceworks interviewed 645 members of its professional network for information technologists. Those respondents worked in organizations based in North America and Europe at the time of the study’s conclusion. They represented a variety of industries including manufacturing, healthcare and finance.

Overall Findings

In its report Data snapshot: How web filtering affects workplace security and productivity, Spiceworks observed that more than half (58 percent) of organizations monitor their employees internet activity. An even greater proportion of companies (89 percent) confessed to blocking or limiting the use of one or more online services/sites.

The larger the company, the more likely it was to implement web filtering. 81 percent of small businesses consisting of up to 99 employees admitted to restricting activity. That compares to 92 percent of mid-size organizations employing 100-999 employees and nearly all (96 percent) of enterprises with more than 1,000 employees.

When it came to web filtering itself, organizations mostly restricted access to illegal sites, unethical/inappropriate web domains and online dating platforms at 85 percent, 85 percent and 61 percent, respectively. More than a third filtered social media sites, with companies mostly blocking access to Facebook (36 percent), Snapchat (36 percent) and Instagram (35 percent). Only a quarter blocked video streaming services, music streaming aps and online forums like Reddit and Quora.

Factors for Web Filtering

Organizations that implemented web filtering witnessed some improvements in employees’ productivity. To illustrate, 58 percent of those who didn’t monitor the web estimated that employees spent four (Read more...)