British companies have a long way to go in order to protect themselves and employees from abnormal Internet practices at the office, according to a survey by network content technology firm Chronicle Solutions.

It found that more than 30% of respondents said they did not have an acceptable use policy (AUP) for the Internet at work, and of those who did, 94% said they had not read it recently. A full 42% said they had not read it in the last year, whilst 33% could not recall when they had seen it last.

No one surveyed indicated blogging as an Internet activity that is banned or even covered by their employer's AUP.

The survey also found that less than 5% of AUPs cover file sharing, and that only 33% of employers ask new hires to read, agree and then sign off on the company acceptable use policy when they join.

Alan Watkins, executive chairman of Chronicle Solutions, says: "The apparent reluctance of employers in the UK to develop and then enforce well-defined policies for the use of company computing assets, leaves them exposed to a universe of potential hazards. British companies must take steps to implement, regularly update and then police a comprehensive AUP and ensure that all employees understand their responsibilities."