Latest news with #privacyrights
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Southampton University report warns of privacy threats at work
Researchers have warned that workplace surveillance is threatening people's right to privacy.A report by the University of Southampton and the Institute of Public Policy Research showed new technology allowed for intense and extensive surveillance of author Dr Joe Atkinson said currently workers were not told how they were being added: "Employers have always wanted to oversee their workforce, but technology is fundamentally changing the nature of these practices." The report, "Negotiating the Future of Work: Legislating to Protect Works from Surveillance", found since the shift to remote work caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, workers have reported an increase in the use of surveillance claimed that biometric sensors, facial recognition cameras, and the monitoring of communications and computer activity allow employers to collect and process data that would not have been accessible to human managers in the Atkinson, a lecturer in employment law at the University of Southampton, said: "This vast and detailed surveillance threatens workers' right to privacy and can also have a chilling effect on the right to freedom of association, expression and belief. "It can increase stress and anxiety, lead to lower levels of autonomy and satisfaction at work and deepen existing power imbalances."For companies, excessive surveillance decreases staff wellbeing and satisfaction, leading to higher staff turnover, and potentially hampering productivity." 'Collaborative relationships' He said in many cases workers were not being forced to be monitored, but highlighted that it was not always that simple."If you're an employee and you're asked by your manager or you're given an instruction, really that is tantamount to being forced," he government's plan to Make Work Pay committed to "ensuring proposals to introduce surveillance technologies would be subject to consultation and negotiation" with Atkinson said the university's report detailed how the government's plans can be best the suggestions was the introduction of new information rights so workers can challenge unjustifiable monitoring said it is about raising awareness of the use of this tech with employees and developing "collaborative relationships". You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Report reveals shocking extent of workplace surveillance
A report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) reveals that young workers and black employees are most likely to be subjected to surveillance in the workplace. Common methods of workplace surveillance include call recording, email analysis, and even webcam monitoring, with shop floor staff, call centre workers, and delivery drivers at high risk of surveillance. The IPPR is advocating for legal reforms to grant workers a voice in how they are monitored and managed, both in the workplace and remotely, citing potential breaches of privacy rights. The research indicates that individuals in low-skilled, low-autonomy, and non-unionised roles are at higher risk of workplace monitoring, with workers aged 16-29 and black employees particularly vulnerable. The IPPR said that current legislation has not kept pace with technological advancements and new legislation and more transparency requirements are needed.
