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Return to Article: Younger employees present challenge to information security, study shows

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  "There is a paranoia in older generation that a computer is a toy".

  Here is that ugly ageism again! I am 52, my boss is 37. Just a couple of weeks ago, I showed her how to send a link while in the web browser instead of manually cutting and pasting the web address into an email. Another supervisor in our office, in her forties (still much younger than me)eschews electronic document comments and wants a hand-marked up version given to her for review. One of the most computer savvy guys in our office is 59.

  I've said it before on other threads, and I'll say it again here...STOP THE GENERALIZING!! This is nothing but a form of prejudice. Each individual is different. Not all "young" people love technology, and not all "older" people run from it. I pay all my bills online, and I reeive all my bills electronically. Anything that will make my life easier I go for it. I (heart) technology!

  AARGH! NOT AGEISM AGAIN!! Posted April 1, 2008 5:44 PM
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  Contractors have been bringing in their own laptops into DOD locations for years and using Aircards to connect back to the main office while performing work on Government Computers. Why should Federal Workers be treated any different??

  IT Specialist Posted March 26, 2008 12:07 PM
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  As Boomers stay longer, and the Gen-X/Gen-Y crowds take over the mid-management work force, it becomes easy to see walls go up. There are plenty of forward thinking fed heads that are not only loosening the traditional work space concepts, (encouraging telework policies, virtual offices, secured networks, etc) but alo allowing employees to choose what platforms they are more productive with. Great story!

  Gabe Ortiz Posted March 25, 2008 7:53 AM
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  that's great idea allow they to use their own computers with no firewalls and download data that is unprotected. Its time for the IT community to get tough and implement security or get rid of the prima donnas

  dan ketter Posted March 24, 2008 3:11 PM
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  That's a good point too -- the fact is the younger generation will always have a blur between our professional and personal life. We are used to data, communication, and change going on 24 hrs, 7 days a week. This means we want to maintain personal contacts at work and with work resources, but it also means we maintain professional contact from home -- reading and responding to work e-mails from your home computer or while on vacation, engaging in technical conversations over dinner, etc. are neither uncomfortable or uncommon. In fact, I know many young people who have purchased their own computer hardware at their own expense to bring to work (laptops, blackberries) and use for both work and home, because they find it distasteful to use two separate systems and inconvenient to have your work chained down to a slow contract provided desktop. (Curiously, IT departments are cracking down on using personal computers at gov't facilities, which I find unfortunate.) The taxpayer is still getting their money worth from civil servants, its just a different mind set than the older generation had, where you work 8 hours straight, walk out of the office and don't come back until 9 a.m. the next morning..

  Becca Posted March 22, 2008 8:39 AM
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  I read an article a couple of years ago about this very subject. The article was about the younger generation wanting to be well connected to their friends, relatives, and information via electronic devices such as PDAs, Cell Phone, Laptops, Internet, etc. Companies and Government Agencies would have to deal with the culture differences sooner or later. The ones that recognize those differences first and can balance security with quality of life will attract the best and the brightest. The ones that don't will get the leftovers. My assumption is the Government will get the leftovers because we are certainly last when it comes to change.

  IT Specialist Posted March 21, 2008 2:37 PM
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  Sounds like the problem is with the IT managers, not the younger employees. My agency has blocked Myspace, Facebook, personal e-mail accounts. These IT managers in question may be behind the curve and should follow the best practices mentioned in the article. As a younger federal employee, I totally agree with Becca's comments.

  Shawn Posted March 21, 2008 2:35 PM
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  Being computer savy is great, but whenh your supposed to on the clock working all the playing should stop. Access to all these "play" sites can be restricted and maybe we could get something approaching an honest days work for a over paid civil servant

  dan ketter Posted March 21, 2008 11:49 AM
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  When Samir Kapuria said "coaching the millennial workforce is more effective than educating" what he really should have said is "Kissing there a-- is eaiser than Kicking there A--".

  W D Jackson Posted March 21, 2008 10:58 AM
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  What I don't get is how the gov't refuses to acknowledge the differing level of competence a younger user might have. For instance my agency is moving forward with plans to install windows VISTA and prevent peopel from administering their own PC's... now that might be great way to protect a computer from misuse by a secretary, but they are implementing the same policy for the computers used by professional engineers and programmers who are highly trained in these things. And yes, these people might have personal software installed (iTunes to listen to music while they work, Google toolbar to fascilitate internet usage, etc.), but they also use their computing privledges for work -- testing out a new application in Google Earth that helps them locate certain facilities needed for their job, using a networking web site to meet and discuss technical problems with another professional in their field...

  There is a paranoia in older generation that a computer is a toy. But a computer is the prime communication devise now.... this is not a waste of taxpayer money, this is how young technical professionals expect to work. Remember the government is competing to hire these highly talented professionals with companies like Google and Microsoft who provide all sorts of perks, including unlimited computer equipment, free time to pursue personal projects, laundry and dry cleaning services, free cafeterias, free soda and coffee at the end of the hall. How is the government expected to recruit a quality computer programmer when they tell them they will get an over-priced contract machine they can't even adminster themselves to do their job from?

  Becca Posted March 21, 2008 10:18 AM
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  I go along with CJ. Shanes response is just an excuse. Illegal is Illegal. There should be no wimpy slap on the wrist where national security is at stake.

  JD Posted March 21, 2008 9:58 AM
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  There are disciplinary measures in place to deal with people who violate the use of government computers (or any other rule, regulation, or law, for that matter). If the supervisors don't follow those procedures, and if upper management doesn't follow those procedures toward supervisors who violate the policies/public laws, then they all should be removed for cause (or any other charge E&LR deems appropriate to make the removal "stick" in a court of law). All levels of managers need to properly utilize their HR employees to follow the path to appropriate disciplinary actions. Make the employees prove they want and appreciate their government employment and benefits. The private sector isn't all it's cracked up to be, so let them go if they can't follow rules and governing laws. People need to accept responsibility for their own actions and quit abusing the use of the taxpayers dollars.

  CJ Posted March 21, 2008 8:05 AM
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  You should probably point out another difference between the two generations - people who are computer savvy practically from birth vs. those who are almost computer illiterate and have no desire to learn.

  Shane Posted March 21, 2008 7:02 AM