Our email is scanned for viruses and spam by an external company. Due to complaints that large amounts of junkmail were getting through, even messages with very explicit subject lines, we are going to have the service upgraded. As part of this upgrade, I was given a long list of file types and asked which should be blocked or allowed if they are attached to emails.

After going through the list marking out the obviously risky types and file types which have no valid business use, I decided to send a memo round which listed the proposed blockages and asking if anyone had any objections to this.

The list includes a large group of multimedia file types, such as Mpeg, Avi, Quick Time Movie etc. There is zero business use for these files at our company, but they are often used for passing funny short videos around.

One staff member spotted Mpeg on the list and asked me to reconsider.

"Ok then, what's the business benefit of allowing these files that clog up the email system and double the size of the back up?"

"They brighten the day and put a smile on people's faces!"

Not a bad argument actually, but I wouldn't want to have to defend it to the company directors!