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Recommended: Improper use of privacy
Electronic Monitoring and Workplace Privacy
Workplace privacy is one of the biggest issues facing businesses today. Do you feel like you are being watched all the time, all your e-mails being read, and every key stroke is being monitored by your boss? Some people feel this way and that is why privacy in the workplace is a problem with many businesses today. Employees feel like they are not being trusted, or feel the company invades on their personal privacy, or violates their fourth amendment rights. On the other hand many businesses have many federal and state laws to follow, and must keep their assets safe, and their employees. Technology makes communications of all sorts as easy as a few pushes of a button. This technology makes it easy for an employer to monitor an employee in almost any fashion, from e-mails to video surveillance. This will make it easy for an employee to abuse the technology the company lets the employee use. Employers need and have the right to monitor their employees to avoid legal liability, as a result of harassing of offensive communications, security concerns relating to intentional or accidental release of sensitive data, and for safety concerns for there employees and business assets. Employees give up their right to privacy as soon as they walk through the door.
There is an increasing trend of employees suing employers for the wrong doing of other workers. Some employees believe they should have the same privacy rights they have at home. Employers are responsible for their employees. Employers need to monitor employees to avoid legal liability as a result of harassing of offensive communications. In the case of Schwenn v. Anheuser Bush, Inc. a women printed out her e-mail messages, and used ...
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...ere should be no misunderstandings. Additionally, employees need to report any abuses of these policies, so that business and law makers can help protect everyone.
Reference List
1. David S. Mohul. (2006). Balancing Employer Monitoring and Employee Privacy, Workspan, 68-70.
2. G. Daryl Nord, Tipton F. McCubbins, & Jeretta Horn Nord. (Aug. 2006). E-Monitoring in the Workplace, Communications of Theach, Vol. 49, No. 48, 73-77.
3. Robin L. Wakefield. (2004). Employee Monitoring and Surveillance - The Growing Trend, Information Systems Control Journal, Vol. 1, 1-3.
4. Samantha Lee, & Brian, H. Kleiner. (2003). Electronic Surveillance in the Workplace, Management Research News, Vol. 26, 72-82.
5. Tabak, Filiz & Smith William. (Sept. 2005). Privacy and Electronic Monitoring in the Workplace, Employee Responsibilities and Right Journal, Vol. 17, No. 3, 173-190.
In Fitbit for Bosses written by Lynn Stuart Parramore she talks about how bosses want to start monitoring their employees. Parramore shows her discomfort with this idea. She thinks that “big money seems poised to trump privacy”(Parramore). Which basically just means that for bosses is that money is over everything even privacy. Allowing bosses to monitor their employees is dishonest and manipulating.Some researchers have also found out that increasing surveillance has caused the decrease of productivity. Researchers warned them that the data can have big errors and people that look at the data that the fitbits can cherry-pick the information that supports their beliefs and ditch the rest of the information that leads to racial profiling. “Surveillance makes everyone seem suspicious, creating perceptions and expectations of dishonesty.” Workers will become dehumanized“(Parramore), it prevents them from experimenting and exercising the creativity on the job.” A woman from California filed a suit against her former employer because he forced her to to install a tracking app on her phone. She had to have it on her phone 24/7 or else she would
Richards, Neil M. "The Dangers Of Surveillance." Harvard Law Review 126.7 (2013): 1934-1965. Academic Search Elite. Web. 8 Feb. 2014.
Richards, Neil M. The Dangers of Surveillance. Harvard Law Review. N.p, 20 May 2013. Web. 3 Apr 2014.
Print Lazar, Wendi S. “Limitations to Workplace Privacy: Electronic Investigations and Monitoring” Computer and Internet Lawyer (2012): SIRS. Web. The Web. The Web.
Employee Monitoring: Is There Privacy in the Workplace? . (6/3/2004)
One type of surveillance is employee monitoring. Many employers monitor their workers’ activities for one reason or another. Companies monitor employees using many methods. They may use access panels that requires employees to identify themselves to control entry to various area in the building, allowing them to create a log of employee movements. They may also use software to monitor attendance and work hours. Additionally, many programs allows companies to monitor activities performed on work computers, inspect employee emails, log keystrokes, etc. An emerging methods of employee monitor also include social network and search engine monitoring. Employers can find out who their employees are associated with, as well as other potentially incriminating information. (Ciocchetti)
"The U.S government is currently abusing its power to monitor our use of internet content and the privacy we receive. There is a definite _ÑÒline_Ñù in the government system that shouldn_Ñét be crossed, yet they don_Ñét have a problem stepping well over it. It is understandable that deep web content such as child pornography, copyright infringement and drug trafficking networks needs to be monitored, considering the circumstances. But personal content such as emails and Facebook messages are where the line between the government and its citizens needs to be drawn. The government should not have the power to monitor personal content because it clearly denies several fundamental rights of the Constitution.
As technology as advanced, so has our society. We are able to accomplish many tasks much easier, faster, and in effective ways. However, if looked at the harmful impact it has had on the society, one can realize that these are severe and really negative. One of the main concerns is privacy rights. Many people want that their information and personal data be kept in secrecy, however with today’s technology, privacy is almost impossible. No matter how hard one tries, information being leaked through technological advancements have become more and more common. With personal information being leaked, one does not know exactly how the information will be used, which validates the statement that privacy rights have been diminishing and should be brought to concern. Many people do not realize that their information is being used by third-parties and to consumer companies. In conclusion, technology has had a significant effect on privacy
Richmond, Riva. "12 Ways Technology Threatens Your Privacy (and How to Protect Yourself)." Switched. N.p., 14 May 2009. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. .
A person’s right to privacy is being challenged with the high use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter. What used to be considered part of your personal life is not so personal anymore. When one chooses to share details about ones-self to their friends via a social media, they are not always thinking about the “other” people. The other people could be ones current boss or future employer. Other people could be a school official, your baseball coach, your friends’ mother; you name it the list goes on and on. Recently, a few employers or perspective employers have requested Facebook and other social network log-in information. It is probably a violation of equal employment laws, and there are two senators investigating the practice of requiring job applicants and employees to provide their social network log-in information as a condition of employment.
2) It is getting ever easier to record anything, or everything, that you see. This opens fascinating possibilities-and alarming ones.”
An example of the pros and cons of privacy in the work place while during the hiring process is in 2012, a company in Maryland decided to ask job seekers to log into personal profiles and search through wall posts. As this is becoming more of trend many creative ways to monitor the posts. Another example within this sector is the athletic program at the University of North Carolina, “Each team must identify at least one coach or administrator who is responsible for having access to and regularly monitoring the content of team member social networking sites and postings”
Lawyers Weekly jan. 2005: N.p. Web. 3 Dec. 2013. . Staff, Proquest. At Issue: Technology and Privacy.
Powell, Robert. "Four Ways Technology Invades Your Privacy." Lovemoney.com. N.p., 5 Oct. 2011. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
This article explains how most companies use the IT department to monitor their employees on the computer. The article raises many questions about the ethical behaviors of IT personnel, but it doesn't give many answers. That's because the question is "Is it ethical?" must be answered by an individual IT professional. In other professional careers such as Medicine or Law, those that have been around for a long time have a set of laws or code of ethics that goes along with the job. This field has yet to establish such rules.