it’s not unreasonable to ask for the meeting to be postponed so that you can take legal advice and arrange for someone to accompany you

Thanks everyone.

I’m just outside Glasgow, South Side. I’m not in a union as everywhere I’ve ever worked won’t recognise them.

Right now I’m going to drink beer so I’ll be in touch tomorrow.

Many thanks

Start the meeting with do you mind if I record this. Placing recording device on the desk as you say it?

If they do not have actual proof of you viewing specified images then they’ve got no leg to stand on.

Have they quarantined your PC? If not then it’s all over. Hell, I’d be prepared to travel up to Glasgow just to see their faces as the detail is laid out to them.

[/quote]The 17 sites in a minute thing is easy. I could put 17 links in this post, and when you browsed it, you’d actually be opening 17 sites.

160 websites is my record with my Firefox in one go as I was attempting to crash it but it didn’t. D’oh! Took me ages to close them down later.

😯

I would be willing to offer support as well. I’m out of practice as a union rep and my knowledge of IT stuff like this could be written on the back of a stamp – but you have my e mail if you want my help

” geoffj – Member

Zed – are you in a union? They should be able to help if you are. If you aren’t tell your employers you are postponing the meeting until you can get some legal advice / representation. Suggest Tuesday and then spend Monday trying to get some proper legal help.

On a practical note, this single page is made up of content / links / analytics from at least 4 different domains – stw, vimeo, doubleclick and google analytics.
Guardian home page is about 8
Mleh Forum Page – well at least one of the links looks INTERESTING

http: //dontclickthis.whatingods.name/1168702253-CatDefendsFoodFromDog.gif
http: //farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/3196531617_922354d212_t.jpg

I’ve got a screen grab of the log – that is where your problems are – stumo’s avatar hosting on Mleh.

Email me stw’at’mtbperthshire.co.uk if you need some direct help / explanation. “

You have no idea of the weight you have lifted off my heart geoffj, to me this explains what has been happening. It certainly looks like IT have no idea of what they are doing, they don’t even seem to know how the internet works.

We’re about to head out with the kids but I’ll be in touch when I return this evening.

Many many thanks.

Yup, your IT people don’t seem to understand basic concepts about how the WWW works! I guess they just looked at the URL for stumo’s avatar in the web access logs, did some more digging at “dontclickthis.whatingodsname….”, found dodgy stuff then put 2 and 2 together and got 85.

I did’nt know they had internet access at Burger King 😉

—

Seriously though. You’ll be OK for sure.

Zed – I have a little compendium of explanation and screen grabs for you. Let me know your email address and I’ll fire it through to you.

Geoff

Thanks Geoff,

I’ve just emailed you from my home address.

“Yup, your IT people don’t seem to understand basic concepts about how the WWW works! I guess they just looked at the URL for stumo’s avatar in the web access logs, did some more digging at “dontclickthis.whatingodsname….”, found dodgy stuff then put 2 and 2 together and got 85. “

Thing is all they have is the basic address not a URL so the head of HR just picked out random files. The more I think about it the more shocked and disgusted I am at how they have treated me. I think I shall be looking for a new job with immediate effect…

Zed – have mailed you back.

Geoff, that is brilliant! I’ve mailed you back.

I haven’t mailed either of you.

andywhit – you were dead right about the Mleh image hosting. I just pulled a few bits of evidence together.

A wee spot of advice – If you do go into the scheduled meeting without legal representation make sure you obviously take notes or record the entire conversation – and you have the right to terminate it at any point in order to get legal representation.

Hopefully it won’t come to that but remember that you can do that. Don’t let them take a decision against you there and then. Ask and insist on an adjournment so you can get legal representation.

Something similar happened to a friend of mine, and he basically told them to get bent for accusing him of something like this without the proper evidence – obviously the incurred stress, rumours about it all back in the office, etc is/was inexcusable and he went on the offensive at them about it.

Since they’re dealing with it in such a poor way and as you say, they don’t know what they’re doing themselves, perhaps you should try a similar tact, now that hopefully you know what’s going on?
It’s out of order for them to put you through this and all for nothing!

I’m gobsmacked. Only just found this thread – from the very first page it looked to me like they were getting confused by normal browser behaviour. To see this for yourself, just get Fiddler (there are others, but that’s what I use – handy for working out how mapping sites work 😉 ). For example, here’s a mleh forum page:

ISTM your IT team are so incapable they’re only getting the “Host” column in that table, not the “URL” one. It’s hardly rocket science to get the correct info! I’ll defer to others who know better about the legal advice, but you could do worse than taking in a printout of Fiddler looking at the specific page that started all this – along with an explanation of how you got that.

BTW – wouldn’t recommend installing Fiddler in work – at least in our place it comes under the category of things we’re not allowed as doing network snooping (we actually have very relaxed IT policy and I install and use a lot of downloaded freeware as part of my work – though we’re only allowed IE6 to browse!)

Just asking your IT to read this thread may prove to be ‘educational’ for them!

[edit] then again it may make them feel so stoopid, that they put the boot in! You could really do with an independant techie present as you could make them lose serious face with management

{No! – Mod}

I would also suggest an adjournment at 11am Monday and get legal advice. The adjournment will need to be for more than 24 hours as you need an IT savvy lawyer. After you win raise a grievance against the IT department and then threaten slander/libel/defamation as appropriate. Looking for a new job would also be good.
BTW recognition is not necessary for union membership, you are entitled to be a member and also to take them in to any disciplinary meeting you are the subject of. These rights are enshrined in both employment and human rights legislation.
Spot the ex-shop steward 🙂
Good luck.

I should point out that anybody with an IT department as stupid as Zeds shouldn’t open this thread in work – my last means that this page will request “downloads” from the same list of hosts he was accused of. OTOH he could suggest his IT manager (boss/director etc.) looks at this thread, and then get the snoops to check what sites that person has accessed – that might just make the point!

Bit late for that disclaimer innit 🙂

Your last post only requests an image from photobucket though so no probs ?

there’s been a major virus recently – might not have been that, but you could blame it anyway.

Best sticking to the facts IMO.

I think he’s guilty

I would laugh at that comment if I wasn’t so stressed.

Been out with the kids at the BMX club today, hence my late reply.

I’m bassically writing all of this down for myself, going to print off the report from Geoff too. I’m pretty angry about it all now, still can’t believe it’s happening!

Seriously dude, sorry, didn’t realise you’d still be so stressed. After reading through this thread, if they sack you, you should haul their asses backwards through a thorny bushed tribunal. It would be grossly unfair if they sack you – can’t honestly see how they can. Best of luck tomorrow though.

been reading with interest
good luck for tomorrow, hope it goes well

Reading this has been a real eye-opener for me, as don’t know sh#t all about IT and how it all works (much like Zed’s IT dept it seams!)
Goodluck Zed, and Im sure with the knowledge/good wishes of the STW massive behind you, you will be fine! Might even get a prommotion for pointing out how little your accusuers know! Director of IT?

Your last post only requests an image from photobucket though so no probs ?

er, that wasn’t my last post (before the one in which I make the comment)! Did you not notice the one with all the non-existent images?

Well, I’ve printed off the report which has snapshots of a couple of things. It certainly explains to me what is going on.

I’m going in tomorrow and have a feeling it could go on for a while. If the worst comes to the worst then I’ll stop the meeting and seek help. Armed with all of the information I now have I’m hoping that I won’t have to.

deadlydarcy, that’s alright, I just wish the whole thing was over.

I’ll let you know how I get on.

Many thanks

Best of luck Zed. As has already been said, stick to the facts and stay calm. It would be useful to get someone to go in with you, if only to provide a witness from your side. How about a friend or colleague you trust. They don’t need to say anything, just provide moral support and an extra set of ears.

And get your witness to take notes. It usually scares the management side

good luck tomorrow zed – fingers crossed for the right outcome (and good luck in the job hunting, you’re right to want to get out of that place after the treatment they’ve given you)

I think I shall be looking for a new job with immediate effect…

If you’re serious about that, you could always not bother defending yourself and make a packet from the industrial tribunal! Not necessarily a serious suggestion, but looking on the bright side if they were stupid enough to sack you, I can’t see how you’d possibly lose a tribunal.

Wonder how he got on. 🙄

i was just wondering that..but its only 11.30 in the UK right? Been watching this thread since the beginning & hope he gets through it..By the sounds of things it might be a long meeting..

Hope he’s doing good & not too stressed.

11.45 am here – wonder how he did?
probably won’t dare post on STW til he gets home
hope it went really well Zed