
Tech companies are helping bosses monitor everything you do at work - jrepinc
https://jacobinmag.com/2020/03/tech-companies-bosses-monitoring-surveillance-workers-technology
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planetzero
15+ years ago, I was working on my first development job out of college and I
noticed that there was a strange process running on my work computer that
couldn't be killed.

I traced it to a specific port and host and used telnet to connect to it
directly (I thought it was malware and got curious).

Little did I know that my manager was watching our every move and when I
connected to the host/port (sending no data), it crashed their viewers (the
software was crap).

I was brought in then next day to my manager's office and they told me they
saw what I did and asked me to explain. I did and didn't get fired.

My coworker got fired that day because the whole purpose was to watch his
computer. He was spending the majority of his time on online poker sites and
working on his own projects on company time.

I also remember my manager casually bringing up topics that I talked about
over IM with a friend over my lunch break..which was creepy (this was before I
knew he was watching us and never let on the reasons he was bringing up these
topics).

We were forced to sign a contract the next day that stated that the company
has a right to monitor our computers and we were to only be working on
company-related work on company computers.

I left that company a few months later. One reason being that I hated the idea
of someone watching me 24/7.

It was a great decision because they cut 25% of the workforce shortly after I
left. Almost all of my ex-coworkers were let go or left within a year.

------
maerF0x0
I have always mentored more junior folks to consider every key stroke on
company property to be viewed in the most unfavorable light and to be
subsequently "owned" by the company.

~~~
a_e_k
Not just that: I think it's also wise to assume that a data breach may someday
make one's e-mail and Slack messages public. Or they may get subpoenaed in a
suit.

------
babycake
Wow, I didn't know they had "sound sensors" at some sites like Walmart. Like
the article mentioned, it can be used to stamp out workers organizing early
on.

