You mentioned that you tried to explain the matter to your manager, as opposed to saying that you explained it to him. If you did not fully and clearly explain what happened here, you should do so.
Part of the problem is that employers today are concerned over the amount of time employees are spending online on activities that have nothing to do with work. Numerous employers are monitoring where the employees are going online, since the employees are on the company's equipment as well as on the company's payroll.
You need to make sure that your manager understands that you are not an employee who is online virtually all the time. Let him know the specifics of what happened here. Make it absolutely clear that you were trying to help a good friend who is out of work, but you recognize that you made a mistake. Wrap up the conversation with an apology.
The next step is to let the matter end here. You should let personal online pursuits end here, too.
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