Ethics paper: Privacy in the workplace
Technological advancements in the way we communicate have opened the door to new privacy issues and concerns in the workplace for both employers and employees. Most employees are not aware that their computers terminals, telephone conversations, voice and emails, and their movements are being recorded and viewed without their consent. The ability for employers to monitor employees through these electronic surveillance methods without their knowledge is morally wrong and unethical. Unfortunately, there is not much employees can do because federal regulations protecting employee privacy rights are lax. This loophole has empowered employers to take full advantage of this unregulated law. However, I believe …show more content…
Many states do not require that employers inform their employees that they are being monitored. The workforce and workplace has changed dramatically since 1986. People are able to work from home remotely and travel the world while still staying connected and conducting business. Hence, the growth of globalization and the issuing of company owned equipment. These are two of the main reasons why a revision should be done to the 1986, Electronic Communications Privacy Act, to completely reflect this changing environment. According to Schulman (?), the law prohibits unauthorized interception of various electronic communications, including email but exempts service providers who provide email and internet access. Consider this scenario: You are working from home with a company computer, which is located in your bedroom. Does the fact that the computer was company issued, give your employer the right to access the camera on the computer whenever they deem necessary. Should you be informed that such monitoring is …show more content…
Here you can see the purpose electronic monitoring was creating, with Internet abuse being one of the main reasons an employee was fired. Misuse of technologies, if done maliciously, can cause a company to lose their competitive edge, valuable and private information, or even have their computer systems wiped out by a virus. For example, a disgruntle employee is unhappy about is job evaluation, so he decides to Google how to plant an email virus, to erase data on all company computers. This type of breach is what employers are monitoring for and trying to avoid. In addition, there are computer software programs that informs your company of “unproductive” sites and can block employees for using such sites. For instance, pornography in the workplace can be an ethical nightmare for both parties. The more time employees spend away from their desk or computer is less time they spent doing their work. Ultimately, employers are given this data to analyze the findings and use them to make management
Technological advancements in the way we communicate have opened the door to new privacy issues and concerns in the workplace for both employers and employees. Most employees are not aware that their computers terminals, telephone conversations, voice and emails, and their movements are being recorded and viewed without their consent. The ability for employers to monitor employees through these electronic surveillance methods without their knowledge is morally wrong and unethical. Unfortunately, there is not much employees can do because federal regulations protecting employee privacy rights are lax. This loophole has empowered employers to take full advantage of this unregulated law. However, I believe …show more content…
Many states do not require that employers inform their employees that they are being monitored. The workforce and workplace has changed dramatically since 1986. People are able to work from home remotely and travel the world while still staying connected and conducting business. Hence, the growth of globalization and the issuing of company owned equipment. These are two of the main reasons why a revision should be done to the 1986, Electronic Communications Privacy Act, to completely reflect this changing environment. According to Schulman (?), the law prohibits unauthorized interception of various electronic communications, including email but exempts service providers who provide email and internet access. Consider this scenario: You are working from home with a company computer, which is located in your bedroom. Does the fact that the computer was company issued, give your employer the right to access the camera on the computer whenever they deem necessary. Should you be informed that such monitoring is …show more content…
Here you can see the purpose electronic monitoring was creating, with Internet abuse being one of the main reasons an employee was fired. Misuse of technologies, if done maliciously, can cause a company to lose their competitive edge, valuable and private information, or even have their computer systems wiped out by a virus. For example, a disgruntle employee is unhappy about is job evaluation, so he decides to Google how to plant an email virus, to erase data on all company computers. This type of breach is what employers are monitoring for and trying to avoid. In addition, there are computer software programs that informs your company of “unproductive” sites and can block employees for using such sites. For instance, pornography in the workplace can be an ethical nightmare for both parties. The more time employees spend away from their desk or computer is less time they spent doing their work. Ultimately, employers are given this data to analyze the findings and use them to make management