SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Employees are still swapping music and other files on peer-to-peer applications at work despite the legal threat from the record industry, a survey released on Wednesday said.

Forty-two percent of the 300 respondents said they continue to use file sharing applications like Kazaa and networks like Gnutella, and 38.6 percent said they do their file swapping on company networks, according to the poll conducted by security provider Blue Coat Systems Inc.

Nearly 70 percent of the peer-to-peer application users said they spend more than 16 minutes a day sharing files and close to 16 percent said they spend more than one hour a day doing so.

Almost 60 percent of the employees polled said they are not concerned about whether the Recording Industry Association of America will take legal action against their employers for the distribution of copyrighted material on the corporate network.

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Ya know...everyone knows I am for use of P2P networks, but I have a slight problem and also against software that blocks use of P2P at work...BUT, I think it is irresponsible for someone who is being paid decently and treated fairly, as hard to get as jobs are these days, to put their employer at risk of getting sued by the RIAA a-holes. If you want to run the risk at home, then so be it, but, I just think exposing your employer to this kind of legal liability is bad news...I know it happens a lot...I've seen tech support folks sit there and , out of boredom, download movies, songs, etc. at work, and burn them to CDs (this was way before all this sue the world crap came about)...

But, I just think it is uncool to do it, unless your employer is so anti-RIAA they say...hey, download away, I don't care. Now, if you are just downloading, you are probably not putting the employer at risk that much, but if you are uploading/sharing...you are probably in violation of your company guidelines on proper use of company internet resources, and are much more apt to get caught by the bad guys.

Just my opinion...I would never do it...but hey, that's me.

Yah, I agree with you Code.

I agree. I also think it is funny, if this many people are willing to admit to it imagine how many really are.

now, if this were coming from the RIAA's mouth, it would be "60% are afraid of us".

My company's so paranoid, I can't even play .mp3s at work.

But for some strange reason, .wma files work just fine...

Unlike scayf, I work for a company that has no policy about using p2p (I agree with Code, though, that employers should be free to limit or eliminate this activity at the work place if they so choose).

It would be kinda interesting to know how many employers have policies related to usage of P2P.

All the places I've worked have been very strict as far as internet usage goes: business related only. You disagree, you're unemployed.

My school limits the amount of traffic on certain ports, rendering most p2p useless. It's hard to get anywhere with 0.01 Kb/ second.

I agree. if you're at work you use the work computers the way the company wants them used

From the article, 115.8 jobs will likely be coming available as companies realize what their nitwitted employees are exposing them to (virii, trojans, lawsuits) by using p2p apps.

Perhaps Blue Coat Systems, Inc. could reveal which companies these employees work for so those in need of a job can forward a resume.

Be sure to say that you're an RIAA lackey and you should be a sure thing.