Porn probe at Ford plant

Three workers suspended for unauthorised access to systems

By John 'Bin' Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Music and Media, 17th January 2001 11:55 GMT

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Three workers have been suspended at Ford's largest UK factory on suspicion of downloading porn from the Internet.

An investigation has been launched at the car maker's Dagenham plant into what a Ford spokesman would only describe as "the misuse of company systems". The inquiry is expected to last a "few weeks" during which time the workers will be suspended on full pay.

Associated Press reports that the suspended workers are suspected of spending up to four hours a shift downloading porn. It is believed workers in the engine plant obtained a managers password and subsequently used this to obtain unauthorised access to the Internet. Only 3000 of Dagenham's 7000 workers have authorised computer access.

Earlier this month insurance firm Royal & Sun Alliance dismissed ten workers for exchanging obscene emails based on doctored images of characters from the Simpsons.

It seems that you're no-one in British industry these days unless you're investigating or suspending employees for downloading porn and we predict a bulging market for courses in how to fire your workers for downloading smut. ®