Friday, September 1, 2017

Personal Devices, Privacy and Your Office


If you have work emails on your phone, your phone is not your own (not exclusively). You are in possession of company proprietary information and you have additional responsibilities. Also, many companies install software with terms that give them the right to collect data from the device or wipe the device in the event of thief. Know the terms.

I first came to this realization when my job upgraded the email software on my phone. All employees were required to make their phone passwords longer and more complicated. At this point something clicked, I was sending and receiving sensitive client information on the same device I was using to post selfies on IG and screenshot memes. 

My solution: I now have a separate work phone and personal phone. 

This solution is not practical or efficient for everyone, but I'll explain why it works for me.
  1. Colleagues often ask for my cell phone number in order to contact me while I'm traveling. Now, if my work phone rings, I know it's work related and can better screen the calls.
  2. My job no longer has to regularly install and update programming on my personal phone which contains my private information. (I always wondered if the IT folks scroll through people's pictures and text messages when they got bored.)
  3. Separate phones save memory on my personal phone for apps, photos and messages.
  4. The most important reason: No mix ups like accidentally calling a client or colleague while out partying with friends (the work phone stays at home on Saturday night).

How about you? Are you a one phone or two phone kind of person?

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