What is required to legally monitor employee computer usage in most cases?

To legally monitor employee computer usage, obtaining written consent from employees is often necessary. This requirement stems from privacy laws and regulations designed to protect employees' rights and expectations of privacy in the workplace. When employees are informed and consent to monitoring, it establishes a clear understanding that their activities may be observed, thus creating a lawful basis for such actions.

Written consent not only helps organizations comply with legal standards but also fosters trust and transparency between employers and employees. By having documentation of the employees' agreement, employers can defend their monitoring practices as being in accordance with established policies.

The other options are not typically sufficient on their own to meet legal requirements. Public announcements may raise awareness about monitoring policies but do not provide the necessary consent. Approval from a government agency is generally not required for such monitoring unless specific legal or regulatory frameworks dictate otherwise. Lastly, complete transparency of actions might be ideal for fostering trust but does not replace the need for explicit consent within the legal context.