A surge in venture capital funding is fueling a global boom in worker surveillance technologies. Startups selling these “bossware” products are mushrooming globally, particularly in countries with little regulation. Workers report feeling a loss of autonomy when managed by algorithms rather than humans.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, a so-called “Little Tech” ecosystem of mostly unregulated, venture capital-funded startups has grown significantly. These surveillance tools are also becoming more intrusive in gig work and are entering offices and the informal labor sector as well, according to Wilneida Negrón, director of research and policy at Coworker.org. “The pressure of hyper-surveillance creates a lot of stress and uncertainty for workers.
It brings a culture of suspiciousness,” Negrón said. These technologies include biometric tracking, AI-powered productivity monitoring, and predictive analytics. Worker data is continuously collected and analyzed by algorithms with the goal of improving hiring, evaluating performance, and optimizing processes.
Worker surveillance funding surge
In Latin America, where labor laws are less strictly enforced, many tools are first deployed, according to Ayden Férdeline, a tech policy researcher and co-author of the report. If successful, these technologies are often implemented in other regions, sometimes with added safeguards, he said.
Many workers are unaware of how their data is collected and used. Some gig workers in Kenya, Guatemala, and Brazil said these tools make them feel surveilled and less in control of their work. In Porto Alegre, Brazil, Uber driver Carina Trindade said the app monitors her continuously, tracking her speed and braking patterns.
Uber spokesperson Gabriel Gabira explained that drivers can record trips for safety, but access to such footage is restricted. In Nairobi, Godfrey Sanya Wanga, a driver for the ride-hailing firm SafeBoda, reported feeling monitored and constrained by the app, impacting his interactions with customers. SafeBoda did not respond to a request for comment.
Several nations have data protection and privacy laws, including Brazil, Nigeria, and Kenya, but enforcement is inconsistent, the report noted.