Internet at Work: How to Delete History

While home users often delete history to scrub their systems clean, it might also be important for you to delete history from your work computers as well. Did you know that nearly 74% of companies admit to monitoring their employees' communications online -- even outside office hours? It's perfectly legal for employers to use your surfing experience against you. There are many ways to still have fun at work, and to protect your reputation. Unfortunately, conventional methods used to delete history within browser programs aren't as effective as you might like them to be. This article details ways to delete history effectively, and (more importantly) completely.

I'll admit it. I chat at work. It's called multi-tasking. It's not impossible for me to work (especially during downtime), and carry on conversations with interesting people at the same time. I'll fess up to this, too: I got caught. Why? Because even though I used Microsoft's proscribed method to delete history, records still remained on my office PC. I had no idea I was being monitored in the first place.

Legally, companies don't have to disclose the fact that they watch their employees' computer usage, and my company certainly didn't let me know ? until the big meeting with my boss. Ouch! Here's what went wrong. Microsoft says that, in order to delete history, you simply follow a few steps. On the Tools menu in Internet Explorer select Internet Options. Then click the General tab, pick History, and then Delete History.

Simple, right? Wrong! Here's the catch: you can't delete history effectively with your browser open. And that's not all! When you select delete history, what's deleted isn't the actual file information! That is still left on your hard drive for all to see. What you actually deleted was just the file's directory entry!

In effect, all of the sites you've surfed, pictures you've viewed, and chat rooms you entered are still on your computer ? all you do when you select delete history is label them as empty space. Eventually, the hard drive on your computer will recycle this space, but the larger your drive, the longer it takes. I found out the hard way that even when you use Microsoft's method, all your boss has to do is look in your history folder, and there's all the information you thought you deleted.

Long story short: I wasn't fired, and I still chat at work. How did I manage it? I got smart. With Privacy Guardian you can take care of your delete file problem, thereby making it virtually impossible for your boss to spy on you without expensive programs that run on complicated algorithms. Since my manager can't figure out how to make a decent cup of coffee, I think a forensic algorithm may be a bit beyond his skills.

In a nutshell, Privacy Guardian will bleach the areas of your hard drive where the "deleted" files are stored, using Department of Defense standard techniques. These programs also speed up your computer by clearing useless files off of your hard drive. You can increase both your chat and work efficacy in one fell swoop! Web browsers allow your boss to one up you with sneakiness: delete files safely, and win not just the battle but also the war.

PC Tools Links

• Privacy Guardian

  Powerful privacy software to erase online Internet tracks and program activity.

  Privacy Guardian is a safe and easy-to-use privacy protection tool that securely deletes online Internet tracks and program activity records that are stored in your browser and other hidden files on your computer.

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