I sort of agree with you, but the laws overstep what I consider acceptable.
I'm fine with an operation banning employees from filming, for example, and employees getting fired for doing so, or for arresting people for trespassing.
The laws referenced by the OP go further, though, to criminalize recordings that were taken by individuals who were allowed on the property by the owner, and who were documenting what happened. In my opinion, owners have the right to fire employees who violate their policies, and to sue former and current employees for libel, but not to sue former and current employees for distributing recordings of things that actually occurred, when there's no reasonable expectation of privacy (which almost by definition is impossible in a workplace, except for maybe things like medical settings).
I agree with you, though, that if there's a public health interest, the government should create laws regarding that, or at least give authority to DPHs to do that.
This is my thinking as well. It means your hothead animal rights person can't assault your staff, tresspass, visit with fake credentials, etc for a political agenda. Property rights do matter, regardless of the exceptions the left keeps trying to give itself against the non-left.
If this is really a public rights issue and lets assume the entirely of the GOP has been paid off, from POTUS to dog catcher, then where is the Democratic response? Oh right, it doesn't exist, because this is a non-issue outside of extremist views. Its trivial for any political group to start a case and get it to SCOTUS if they believe any of this is unconstitutional. Its trivial for law enforcement to get warrants against these farms if they're violating the law.
I do understand the controversy here, but I think in the end, whistleblowing will always come with some risk. Its a little naive to think it doesn't. I think most people are okay with that because casual whistlblowing becomes office politics, meaningless outrage politics, and endless bikeshedding. There should be a high threshold for exemption to the laws that guarantee our freedom and rights.
I'm fine with an operation banning employees from filming, for example, and employees getting fired for doing so, or for arresting people for trespassing.
The laws referenced by the OP go further, though, to criminalize recordings that were taken by individuals who were allowed on the property by the owner, and who were documenting what happened. In my opinion, owners have the right to fire employees who violate their policies, and to sue former and current employees for libel, but not to sue former and current employees for distributing recordings of things that actually occurred, when there's no reasonable expectation of privacy (which almost by definition is impossible in a workplace, except for maybe things like medical settings).
I agree with you, though, that if there's a public health interest, the government should create laws regarding that, or at least give authority to DPHs to do that.