Let’s be perfectly honest. For those of us who are tied to a Web browser all day, searching the Internet comes in handy for a wide range of work-related purposes. But who among us hasn’t snuck in an on-the-job search or two to find a place to eat that night, look up trivial news stories or straight-up distract ourselves with queries like “play Tetris online” or “kitten falling asleep”?
Indeed, the Web sometimes blurs the line between our personal and professional activity, and the folks in charge have a vested interest in ensuring we’re maintaining at least a bare minimum level of productivity. Some companies restrict Web access or snoop on employees’ browsing, while others are more hands off.