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Comment by Quikinterp | Hacker News Reader

I'm confused as to why anybody is downloading non work apps on a work device

In my experience it's because, for many, the concept of a "work device" is extremely foreign to them. They see no difference between work email on a personal device, and personal email on a work device.

Even I, a tech-literate person, use work devices in a personal manner. Sometimes because I can't be bothered to keep them separated. Other times it's because I believe it's required. For example, I have some scripts that I execute from my synced (personal) Google drive. Why? Because I made them in my free time, and they are useful at work too.

To me I think that every company should be strictly managing work devices but I also know how much of a pain that is as well.

Many work devices are also personal devices. I have an employer-issued phone, and my income tax interprets that as a "benefit". I could avoid that by claiming I don't use it for personal reasons, and instead buy my own separate device. But I don't.

Yes, I know multiple people who carry two phones for that reason (ie not criminals!)

And the vast majority of people don't. They have one phone--or even one laptop.

I always have gmail open in a tab on my work laptop, is that also not acceptable? What’s the difference, really? That being a web app instead of a native one it doesn’t go through an install process?

> I always have gmail open in a tab on my work laptop, is that also not acceptable?

Depends on your industry and other security-paranoia factors. Here gmail is blocked as a potential data exfiltration risk.

In any case: key differences between gmail on a tab and an app like tiktok¹ on your phone include: your tab is far less likely to have access to your global contacts information or to other things stored on your device, isn't tracking your location and reporting it back along with your contacts list and potentially what-ever else it can read, etc.

[1] tiktok is far from the only risk here, just by far the most prominent one ATM

To me this just seems like an unnecessary risk. With a work machine you don't know what kind of monitoring is going on. You don't want to risk your employer finding evidence of you looking for a new job or mental illness or something like that.

I have colleagues that brought their own devices to the company, and then protest that they have to install this, and that, and the third one. Some just can't seem to separate work and life well.

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