Privacy
The technological advances of new communication and computer technologies has generated a host of ethical problems, the moral notion of privacy in the workplace has become a major concern. Some of these problems or concerns arise from software for computer monitoring. With technology advancing at a rapid rate, we will continue to see many new possibilities of monitoring and surveillance of workers. This may be the greatest threat to privacy, with new technology and the use of monitoring devices combined with software and computer networks (Internet). Employers monitor employees for many valid reasons. The most traditional motivations are to determine whether employees are following company policies or making appropriate use of their work time. Employees also monitor staff to enforce company rules and to decrease illegal acti
Now that employees use personal computers on the job and often have access to an internal network, the electronic monitoring of employees has become very easy. In a survey conducted by the American Management Association, 38% of corporations surveyed say they store and review employees' email messages, and 54% also monitor Internet connections. In the past, courts have permitted employers to conduct surveillance, provided that there is a compelling interest involved. E-mail privacy in the workplace became a concern in the 1990s when an employee for Epson was fired because she reported her supervisor for reading and printing discarded e-mail messages, the case was dismissed. However, the law differs somewhat, it focuses on weather or not the employee had a reasonable expectation of privacy. Over the last few years, The New York Times, Xerox, and First Union have all made headlines for firing employees because what they termed inappropriate use of the Internet. This act makes it unlawful to intentionally intercept any wire, oral, or electronic communication. High-tech equipment enables employers to monitor incoming and outgoing phone call and e-mails, web page visits, computer files, and even workplace activities. Due to the fact that e-mail and voice message contents are electronically stored, they can be reviewed by anyone with access and the right equipment. Establishing a workplace privacy policy is one way in which companies protect themselves from privacy violations. With advancing technologies providing employers with a powerful new ability to monitor the workplace, it increases the possibility of unforeseen liabilities resulting from employee lawsuits. Many employers believe that any transactions rendered on the company's premises or over its electronic communications system are company property, therefore the organization has the right to access it at any time. When privacy issues reach the courts, judges tend to balance the privacy claims of employees against legitimate claims of employers.
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,
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Xerox Union,
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