The Computer Revolution/Computer Monitoring Software

Employee Monitoring
Some or most employers are using monitoring software to see what their employees are doing throughout the day or week. Some companies state in their company handout that they may choose to monitor the activity of employees of theirs. They do own the equipment. This practice has been going on for quite some time. They can listen to your phones calls, private or business. They can check to see where you have been on the internet. Some companies block certain websites such as: gaming, social networks, porn and personal e-mailing. This to me seems that they want to eleviate too much socializing on computers during our work day. They also have software that can tell you how many keystrokes a person is using, people who do a lot of data entry or perform a high amount of keystrokes. They could also tell how long your computer has been idle; meaning you may be away from your desk for long periods of time. They will just keep monitoring you and say nothing until it is time for your performance review. We all know the we shouldn't be using computers at work for our own enjoyment but how many people do it? Is anyone monitoring the monitors. I think if you don't use it to the extreme it should be ok, but that is company time unless you are on lunch. People that work for the government or company that provides cell phones have a right to monitor the usage of those devices. These devices are given to workers to help them perform your duties. There are also tracking devices which some employees use to keep up with their drivers. I bet you didn't know that companies can also monitor and even open your mail even if it's against the law. We are constantly being monitored in some way, either at work or outside. Surveillance and monitoring are used intensively in retail and marketing stores to deter theft. Currently there are few laws regulating employee monitoring. There are several groups that are actively involved in workplace monitoring issues and that advocate stronger government regulation of employee monitoring activities. Computer monitoring software that can record an individual’s computer use is viewed as a privacy violation by some, as is the increased use of video surveillance in public locations. Although it is allowed by law, some employees view employee monitoring(such as monitoring computer use, telephone calls, and an individual’s location using a smart ID card or video surveillance) as an invasion of their privacy. Presence technology— the ability of one computer on a network to know the status of another computer on that network—allows users of computers, mobile phones, and other communications devices to determine the availability of other individuals before contacting them.

Cited from: (understanding computers today and tomorrow 13th edition. Page 627)