Internet usage monitoring is common among businesses in order to protect against online risks and also to ensure that employees are following Internet usage policies. Many employers have specific guidelines regarding how their employees may use the Internet on company computers, and they often use monitoring programs in order to verify that the guidelines are being followed. Specific websites visited by employees on company computers may be logged, and emails sent may be ab;e to be accessed and read by system administrators. Employees should not assume that their online behavior is private when using a company computer, and should take care to follow the Internet usage rules in the workplace. Employees may be reprimanded or fired for violations of company Internet usage policies. Legally, courts have usually favored employers in regard to Internet usage monitoring and other related policies, giving them the right to control how their computers are used by employees. Internet usage monitoring is sometimes used by individuals as well, in order to track how others use their personal computers. Internet usage monitoring programs often run invisibly, and a computer user may not be aware their online activity is being monitored.