The Digital Economy Act – What Does it Mean for Your Business?

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I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of going online at work to check out what our friends are doing on Facebook or browsing the latest sports news. But, have you ever thought about how your employees’ surfing habits can affect you and your business?

Cynics will tell you that arming your employees with Internet access exposes your business to a whole multitude of cyber-related sins, which ultimately you, as a business owner , could be responsible for . With that in mind, the highly controversial Digital Economy Act (DEA) - comprising several new and amended technology laws - was passed by the Government in June 2010, to crackdown on improper and illegal Internet usage.

So, what can we expect from the new act and how will it affect your business? The main controversy surrounding the original bill was copyright, with the illegal sharing of files including music, video, software and e-books considered to be a growing concern. The DEA requires ISPs to work with copyright holders to tackle the problem and if necessary take action against the identified perpetrators.

You are now responsible

Organisations that own the copyright to data which is being shared can report alleged infringers to the suspect’s ISP , which in turn will have to notify its customers of the situation. With all businesses’ laptops or desktop computers having their own IP (Internet Protocol) ‘fingerprints’, it is easy for culprits to be tracked down. Unfortunately, you as a business owner are responsible for the actions of your employees and if they are caught illegally accessing online data you, not them, can be vulnerable to prosecution.

At YooZoom4Business we can offer you some practical advice on how to remain compliant with the DEA and avoid infringing its provisions, which may result in restricted network and Internet access:

1. Ensure you have a robust set of regulations for employees to follow regarding use of IT facilities and systems

2. Ensure that all users business applications, software, systems and networks are aware of these policies and the need to comply with them

3. Ensure that all users are warned about any disciplinary procedures and/or legal action against anyone found to be breaching the business’s code of conduct

Hopefully, you’ll never need to worry about this, but whilst some employees are innocently visiting social networking and news sites, a handful of unscrupulous rogues could be filling their boots with illegal music or video downloads – so make sure your business is covered!