University of Waterloo sociologists are warning about the negative effects of technology used by employers to monitor remote workers. If you work from home, your boss might be tracking your keystrokes, monitoring your browser activity, measuring the time you spend on documents, and even using facial recognition to check if you are at your desk. Some people may accept this as part of the job for better online security and productivity.
However, researchers say that the widespread use of such surveillance tools can severely affect cybersecurity, privacy, and trust within the workplace. A recent industry survey predicts that two-thirds of large employers will use surveillance apps this year. Popular products include Hubstaff, Clever Control, and Spyera.
These apps allow managers to access dashboards that categorize employees’ performance. However, Professor Adam Molnar suggests that this approach overlooks the damaging effects on workers’ privacy, well-being, and autonomy. PhD candidate Danielle Thompson argues that productivity should not be measured by invasive monitoring apps.
Instead of focusing on task completion, managers are often bogged down by data regarding location, device activity, and time.
Surveillance tools impacting worker privacy
This data may not reliably capture an employee’s quality of work.
University of Waterloo computer science student Adam Campbell found significant vulnerabilities in ten popular monitoring apps. These vulnerabilities could potentially expose both companies and workers to data leaks or cyberattacks. This risk is especially concerning when sensitive personal information is captured, such as emails related to health or union matters, political expression, biometric data, and personal information about sexual orientation or disability.
The technology often operates in invisible mode, leaving employees unaware of its presence or misleading them into thinking they have control over how they are being monitored. For example, some apps display a visible timer that seems to stop when clicked, but continue collecting data in the background. Researchers also highlight concerns about how surveillance apps might encourage overwork by rewarding employees who work through lunch or on weekends.
This could normalize unhealthy work habits. While Ontario law requires employers to inform their employees about surveillance since 2022, Thompson considers the legislation inadequate. It applies only to companies with more than 25 employees, doesn’t limit what can be monitored, and fails to give employees control over the monitoring process.
Molnar and Thompson will present their findings, based on five years of research, at the national Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences in Toronto.
