The focus of this Extended Essay is to evaluate the problems that lie in the department of surveillance within the workplace. By definition, Surveillance is the use of IT to monitor the actions of people. For example, monitoring may be used totrack, record and assess employees’ performance. (“Surveillance”, 1.7, itgswikispaces, web, 2014). Social and Ethical issues are the primary problems that not only employees but also employers face with the topic of surveillance. The aim of this essay is to compare and look at the Ethical and Social issues that occur in the Information Technology industry, specifically the workplace in relation to surveillance of different forms. Types of surveillance CCTV monitoring (camera) is one of the …show more content…
Although this act was put in place, it does not specify to electronic communications in the workplace, therefore employee’s data is still at risk. There are grounds on which it can be justified that an employer is allowed to ‘intrude’ on an employee’s privacy. If the employer is a victim of an employee’s criminal offence, the employees use of social media networks and other non work related sites and cyber-bullying in the workplace. Workplaces differ with the rules and policies they put in place for their workers. Many have specific policies that allow their employees to use social media websites such as Facebook when they are on their lunch break, or given specified times and durations in which they are allowed to visit such sites. The employers have to ensure that they declare all their rules and restrictions in their contracts to the workers to prevent further problems down the road. There is also a code put in place for monitoring in Europe. The German Criminal Code Section 202a protects users against encrypted emails. If an employer wants to monitor their employees emails they have to get approval from the Works Council and each employee of the business. This code should be applied to all businesses that intend to monitor their employees. Policies also can possibly help the employee to perform better at their job. If the employee knows before hand that …show more content…
The employees will be concerned as to where these cameras are placed and how often they are being monitored. Some companies will also peruse through employees emails so as to prevent industrial espionage. Industrial espionage is the process of illegally and unethically obtaining confidential information from other companies. Many employees will feel that this is a serious invasion of privacy and may not agree with it. This resulted in the Wiretap Act 1968 being implemented into businesses that required monitoring of their employees emails and other technological forms of communication. Wiretapping involves intercepting or using a communication. It should be said that all employees are aware of this act and are informed as to what is allowed in terms of the monitoring of their devices. People will then begin to wonder if the workplace is the only place that they are being monitored. Surveillance in the workplace not only affects the employees while they are at their job, but also can leave long-term issues such as paranoia. They may continue to feel that they are being watched, and may therefore they may break down psychologically. This in turn, will result in them not being able to come to work, which ends up hurting the business. “The right to be let alone is the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men.” Justice Louis Brandeis (1928). Taken
Moreover, management should conduct privacy protocol training, so everyone is on the same page. The policy needs to state clearly the company’s rules about protecting customer’s personal data. Also, staff needs to know that there will be monitoring of phone calls and well as computer activity and emphasizes that per Muhl, (2003) “an employee’s personal use of an employer’s e-mail system and Internet access is not protected under the law.” Hence, organizations can encounter legal troubles due the inappropriate use of the system. The privacy of customer is important, and it needs protection.
By using strong supporting arguments In the essay entitled, Everyone is Watching You, by Nadine Strossen. Strossen’s goal in the essay is to influence her readers that surveillance cameras do more damage than good, and that something needs to be done to eliminate them. Her controversy on this matter was very vigorous, Strossen convincingly argues that surveillance cameras are an atrocious idea and needs to be stopped. She does a satisfying job of catering to her viewers in her essay. With a topic that pertains to everybody, she takes the opportunity to use this to her convenience.
The conception of the surveillance program was an attempt to protect the american citizens from terrorist activity as well as act as a form of counterterrorism abroad in many other countries. These positive aspects of the massive surveillance system show that there is a benevolent practice of surveillance that should be
They require HR managers to make sure that they aren’t taking shortcuts in security policies and security is being controlled internally and
Also there is a TV show called “Person of Interest” in which side by side of the resistance group toward this surveillance, views of the creator of this surveillance mechanism has also been shown. This show overall presented the general view that if surveillance/spying was okay if it was done by a
Policies also cannot restrict employees on what can be said on their personal social media sites, even if their comments are negative and/or suggest an undesirable observation about the work environment or a particular person (Dewey, 2014). Ornstein also suggests that policies be made in conjunction with federal, state and local laws and any monitoring of employee activity should involve particular interests and should not impede on employee’s rights as no policy can dictate what an employee chooses to engage in when “off-duty” (Ornstein,
In the article, Snoopers at Work author Bill Bryson, suggests that nearly every American employee is being spied on in some way by their employers. Many companies have taken advantage of the advances in technology by using it daringly to spy on their employees by intruding in medical records and monetoring phone calls. Furthermore, other companies are observing their employees as they work by hiding recording cameras and spying on them secretly. Meanwhile, there is also a distinct paranoia around drugs. Multiple companies have introduced a regulatory system called TAD or tobacco, alcohol, and drugs which forbid their employees from consuming any of those substances at any given time, including in their homes; infact, these companies enforce
It begins to create a want or need for increased security. How can a nation watch itself all at once, including those who may be undercover? The answer is presented by surveillance. If all individuals are being watched and listened to than the chances of preventing an attack are heightened. At what cost?
Surveillance is, simply put, the observation and/or monitoring of a person. Coming from the French word for "looking upon," the term encompasses not only visual observation but, also, the scrutiny of all behavior, speech, and actions. Prominent examples of surveillance include surveillance cameras, wiretaps, GPS tracking, and internet surveillance. One-way observation is in some ways an expression of control. Just as having a stranger stare at you for an extended period can be uncomfortable and hostile, it is no different from being under constant surveillance, except that surveillance is usually surreptitiously done and at the behest of some authority.
This a negative impact on people and people need to start worrying about saving their job. Schneier use pathos, this is scary to think that we’re under surveillance 24/7, no matter where you are. People need to be aware that the companies are invading their privacy, “which means they keep you under surveillance” (Schneier 4). They offer you many free services and apps. This is their way to collect your data.
Do they smoke? Document one example of where/how such employer surveillance of non-work activity is being done. Identify and explain one or more legal and ethical challenges to the practice. Employees can benefit from telework because of the cost benefit analyses. Teleworkers can do more or less when working from home.
1984 Essay Technology is taking us closer to the world of Big Brother. Current technology is more than capable of monitoring our every move, and our over exaggerated fear leads to increased monitoring. I believe that we all have a right to privacy.
government took the use of surveillance to the next level. This level is unprecedented and unheard in human history. The government uses internet to surveil people’s private information. Several things happening around us that we don’t recognize in today’s world,. One of the things is the surveillance program.
Big brother implies the authority that regulates and monitors information and citizens. Currently, technology developments such as closed-circuit television, black box, cell phone, and a bunch of search engines, allow to record every moves that people make and to give rise to surveillance society. Surveillance society has two sides of the coin. In this essay, I will deliver pros and cons about surveillance society and possible solutions to deal with the issue.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using camera surveillance in preventing, detecting and investigating crime within specific reference to your chosen type of camera surveillance. In your essay you must consider arguments about privacy and civil rights. Do the civil liberties and privacy issues justify the protection and safety that camera surveillance provides? Camera surveillance is prevalent in many countries as a crime prevention tool. The systems capture images or videos of the public going about their daily life.