NTRODUCTION The Internet has become a fully integrated part of our society, touching many aspects of our working and personal lives. The Internet is so incredibly popular because it allows us to not only quickly access information from sources all over the world, but also to transfer information quickly and easily. Businesses quickly realized the benefits the Internet would bring to their businesses. Soon after phrases like “The Web” and “Surfing the Web” began circulating, computers with Internet capabilities became as common as pencils and post-it notes on employee desks. The positive effects of the Internet also give way to the negative effects of the Internet. Accessing the Internet from an employee's computer allows the employee to spend time viewing content from non-work-related sites. This is essentially the problem with Internet abuse: spending paid work time on non-work-related activities. The problems related to Internet abuse have become as varied as the ways to deal with them; only recently have companies begun to address and recognize these problems. First of all we will try to understand who is affected by the problem of Internet abuse; so by examining statistics and examples related to Internet abuse, we can begin to understand the scope and consequences of this problem. Finally we will also see what companies and employees are doing about it. WHO IS INVOLVED? The people affected by the problem of Internet abuse are companies, employees and the consumer. According to Network Magazine1, businesses lose $54 billion a year due to Internet abuse. This is money that companies must recover in some way, whether by raising prices, decreasing wages, or some other cost-cutting method. Compani......middle of paper......protect companies and their employees from those who abuse the Internet. Things like standards and guidelines can also be used to ensure the internet is being used in the right way. What can companies do to prevent these problems? They can use guidelines and policies to make sure managers and employees understand what is expected of them. What can feeders do? They can make sure their employees understand the guidelines and policies their company has put in place. What can employees do? They can strive to meet standards and guidelines and work with the mindset that they are always being watched. This will make Internet monitoring software unnecessary. One thing is certain; The Internet isn't going anywhere. For this reason, companies, management and other employees must ensure that the Internet is used productively and appropriately.