Analyzing The Ethics Of Workplace Electronic Surveillance
Ethics of Workplace Electronic Surveillance
1 INTRODUCTION
Video cameras, key loggers, cameras, and firewalls. These are just a few of the types of technology used to monitor employees at work. What are the legal restrictions given to employers? In this paper we will examine ethical arguments from both points of views; the employees, and the employers.
This paper is split between 4 sections. Section 1 is the introduction which explains what this paper is about. Section 2 will describe surveillance measures, and is split between 2 sub sections: early surveillance, and current surveillance. Section 3 will explain the global impact and how different countries record. Section 4 discusses the ethical issues, and section 5 is the conclusion to …show more content…
You can monitor how long an employee is sitting at their desk. Are the employees in the kitchen most of the day, or do they look like they’re working. You can also use cameras to verify that they are completing their time sheets correctly. Cameras should not be used to try to see the computer screen, so this form of monitoring should not be used to see what the users are doing on their computer, and should just be used to check if an employee is at their desk, and times they enter and leave the office.
2.2 Modern Day Surveillance
Modern day surveillance is much more effective. We use firewall/router logs to track what you do. Network administrators don’t touch your computer anymore to see what you do. That means you can delete your browsing history, but that won’t get rid of the evidence you left on the network routers/firewalls. We will be able to view sites you visited, but not the personal information you entered. This method is used just as a general surveillance, and is much more ethical than a key logger. Note that network administrators may still use a key logger if they are targeting you for further scrutiny.
Phone recording is another method of surveillance that corporations use. Many corporations record phone calls made through their system for “quality assurance purposes”. The recording is used to protect themselves from complaints, and lawsuits. The recordings are also used to monitor employee …show more content…
Alternatively, in Europe, employers generally have to justify why they need to collect personal data from their employees. Certain data may not be collected at all, and some monitoring activities are prohibited as a matter of law. Chinese employers don’t care much for privacy, and only want results. "The underlying principle is value for money," says Joseph R. Garber, a columnist for Forbes magazine. "If you don't deliver value for money, in some sense, you're lying."
1 INTRODUCTION
Video cameras, key loggers, cameras, and firewalls. These are just a few of the types of technology used to monitor employees at work. What are the legal restrictions given to employers? In this paper we will examine ethical arguments from both points of views; the employees, and the employers.
This paper is split between 4 sections. Section 1 is the introduction which explains what this paper is about. Section 2 will describe surveillance measures, and is split between 2 sub sections: early surveillance, and current surveillance. Section 3 will explain the global impact and how different countries record. Section 4 discusses the ethical issues, and section 5 is the conclusion to …show more content…
You can monitor how long an employee is sitting at their desk. Are the employees in the kitchen most of the day, or do they look like they’re working. You can also use cameras to verify that they are completing their time sheets correctly. Cameras should not be used to try to see the computer screen, so this form of monitoring should not be used to see what the users are doing on their computer, and should just be used to check if an employee is at their desk, and times they enter and leave the office.
2.2 Modern Day Surveillance
Modern day surveillance is much more effective. We use firewall/router logs to track what you do. Network administrators don’t touch your computer anymore to see what you do. That means you can delete your browsing history, but that won’t get rid of the evidence you left on the network routers/firewalls. We will be able to view sites you visited, but not the personal information you entered. This method is used just as a general surveillance, and is much more ethical than a key logger. Note that network administrators may still use a key logger if they are targeting you for further scrutiny.
Phone recording is another method of surveillance that corporations use. Many corporations record phone calls made through their system for “quality assurance purposes”. The recording is used to protect themselves from complaints, and lawsuits. The recordings are also used to monitor employee …show more content…
Alternatively, in Europe, employers generally have to justify why they need to collect personal data from their employees. Certain data may not be collected at all, and some monitoring activities are prohibited as a matter of law. Chinese employers don’t care much for privacy, and only want results. "The underlying principle is value for money," says Joseph R. Garber, a columnist for Forbes magazine. "If you don't deliver value for money, in some sense, you're lying."