How do I remove employer'S internet monitoring software?

[luisting]

My boss installed internet monitoring software on my personal computer. I don't know if this is even legal, but I found the program and am wondering if I can remove it in add/remove programs and that will do it???

[farscapeone]

First of all if you could just uninstall it like a regular program that would be quite a useless peace of software. On the other hand if your boss installed it, he would be sure to check the results and if you uninstall it he would know. It is not a good idea to mess around with your boss like that

Instead of uninstalling you could simply get around it. There is a free software and an open network that can help you do that. It's called Tor. If you are not familiar with it and don't know how to set it up you could use a portable version of Opera with the integrated Tor software and put it on your usb flash drive. This bundle is called OperaTor and can be found here.

[descalzo]

"Your" personal computer? As in, you own it? Or do you mean the computer you work at on your job?

[luisting]

The computer is not my personal,only used on my job

[leafypiggy]

So you use it at work, as your main computer?

[carl6969]

An employer has the right to whatever the feel is appropriate and necessary with company owned computer equipment and networks. My sister has a laptop which is actually owned by the school district she works for. She keeps it in her possession and is free to use for personal use as well as job related tasks. However her employer has the right to install security and / or monitoring software on this computer if they wish and, in fact, they have. Now, if this a computer which you own and were using on the job that would be a different matter completely in my opinion.

[Paul M.]

our company managers also installed some internet monitoring software to track us.. they say it's legal and if PCs are owned by a company, they can deploy anything they want.. it's concerned that employees do not use computers for a personal use on the work.. are they right??

[descalzo]

Of course they are. If you want to play games online, or visit questionable sites, or email your friends, do it on your own time and on your own computer. Or find another employer.

[Sharky]

Of course they are. If you want to play games online, or visit questionable sites, or email your friends, do it on your own time and on your own computer. Or find another employer.

Or get a smartphone...

When it comes to companies, it's a case of 'if you've got nothing to hide what's the problem?', but whilst at work you are there to work. Luckily my employer is fairly ... tolerant of taking short breaks, checking the news occasionally etc., as long as I get the job done! Which I do...

You pretend to work, they pretend to pay you.

[cybrax]

Thier computer, thier rules for the most part.
Often this kind of monitoring software has access to the webcam (if connected) so there may be some privacy issues, so you may wish to clarify just what exactly the employer is monitoring. It may well be that the provider of the laptop is also paying for the internet connection via a 3G dongle, in such a cases circumventing the watchdog software is pointless.

Anyhow, the simplest answer is to use a Linux distro such as Slax, Puppy or the ever popular Ubuntu and boot the laptop from a CD or USB drive. Thus allowing the use of the all the PC hardware without windows or the added extras of your employer being activated.