Leader: Sort out your IT policy - how hard can it be?

Like a frustrated parent telling their child to tidy their bedroom on an almost weekly basis it seems the IT industry telling end user organisations to sort out their email and internet usage policies is just one of those messages that will never quite sink in or transcend 'goldfish memory' syndrome.

The reasons are compelling. Failure to educate staff on what is acceptable, what isn't and what action will be taken in the event of breaches of policy can expose a company to legal and network problems.

And blame for not doing so doesn't stop at the IT department's door - if anything this is an HR issue. Company handbooks need to be kept up to date and systems need to be in place for ensuring all staff are 'on message' regarding their permissions on the network.

An employee who brings down a network by clicking on an infected email attachment is effectively blameless if they were never told not to.

Another employee who downloads 1,000 copyrighted tracks from Kazaa and lands his employer in hot water with the copyright owners is similarly blameless if such applications or uses haven't been outlawed.

"It should be common sense," may be a reaction which is understandable to those of us more clued up about such threats, but common sense should never be taken for granted - especially where technology is concerned.

Similarly a company may try to sack an employee who spreads porn via the company email system, but if they've never actually been told not to then cue the inevitably successful unfair dismissal case.

Such injustice may be frustrating, but so is the 'head meets brick wall' equation of repeating this message over and over again:

Sort out your IT usage policy. Now.