In such cases, internal disciplinary tribunals, criminal charges, or civil suits may be the only way to stop such actions. If a person had to view sexual images displayed on a computer, or received messages sent through e-mail, Short Message Service (SMS) or IM that had undertones or blatant sexual remarks, he or she could feel objectified and humiliated by the atmosphere. One common example of a hostile working environment is sexual harassment. Hostile working environments are workplaces where a person fears intimidation, harassment, physical threats, humiliation, or other experiences that create an offensive or oppressive atmosphere. In the same way that schools are realizing that cyberbullying can escalate into more violent actions, fewer and fewer organizations are tolerating hostile working environments. Because school policies exist in many schools that prohibit threatening teachers and students, the students are held accountable for their actions, even though the incidents never occurred on school property. Other schools have taken similar actions against students in cases of cyberbullying. In 2007, an eleventh grade student in Abbotsford, BC, named Amanda Bunn created a page on Facebook titled “If 200 people sign this, I'll kick (teacher Pat Mullaney) in the box.” Because the threat was made to her teacher, the student was suspended for three weeks before ultimately being expelled from the school. However, depending on policies implemented in the organization, this may not always be the case. After all, the information isn't on a corporate computer, but on another server entirely. If the person mentions where he or she works, and makes derogatory comments about coworkers or portrays the company in a negative manner, it may seem that little can be done. On such sites, people can publish text and pictures to the Internet. Many people have their own blogs or personal Web sites, or enjoy social networks such as Facebook ( ), Friendster (( ), and others. Policy violations can also extend beyond the machines owned by a company. Any actions taken in the investigation would be scrutinized, and anything found could be evidence in a criminal trial. However, if it was found that the person was downloading child pornography, the internal investigation becomes a criminal one. For example, an employee may have violated a company's acceptable use policy by viewing questionable Web sites during work hours. In any investigation, it is important to treat the case as though it were going to court, as you never know what you'll find. Using forensic procedures to investigate the incident creates a tighter case against the employee, thereby making it difficult for the employee to argue the facts. Despite the end result, computer forensics may still be incorporated. The severity of the actions will often depend on the past performance and current conduct of the person. In many situations, the violation may require disciplinary actions against the employee, whether it is a reprimand, fine, demotion, or termination. When policies are violated, it doesn't necessarily mean that a full police investigation is required. Littlejohn Shinder, Michael Cross, in Scene of the Cybercrime (Second Edition), 2008 Policy Violations
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