在虚拟工作空间中,您的私人对话真的私密吗?

担心雇主通过远程工作平台(如Slack、Zoom或Teams)监视您?以下是您的公司可以通过常用的应用程序(如这些)监控的内容

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Your boss can spy on you using Slack, Zoom, and Teams.

📷 Image used with permission by copyright holder

Virtual workspace tools like Slack and Teams have become indispensable for office workers, both in the office and working remotely. However, it’s important to remember that what you do in these systems may not be as private as you think. Even private conversations can potentially be seen by your boss. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the level of privacy these platforms offer and explore some of the additional concerns you might have.

Slack

Apps like Slack, Teams, and other common business collaboration platforms function based on administrative permissions. This means that with the right permissions, your boss can have a significant amount of control over the platform and what happens on it. They can even request access to see almost anything that happens on the app by going through the IT department.

For example, supervisors with permissions can see messages sent on the platform, regardless of whether they were sent in private or public channels. They can also access information about employees’ current status on the platform and gather general data on how employees are using the platform and what types of files are being shared.

While Slack doesn’t delete messages, there may be limitations on how companies can search messages or store them. Higher-tier Enterprise Slack subscriptions allow employers to access almost everything that has been communicated through the platform. So, keep in mind that your interactions on Slack may not be as private as you think.

Zoom

Zoom has made efforts to prioritize employee privacy, especially as remote work became more prevalent. The app allows for the separation of business and personal accounts, which is a good practice. In addition, you can choose to upload Zoom meetings directly to your desktop instead of the cloud, providing additional privacy options for certain videos.

However, in the business version of Zoom, supervisors still have certain capabilities. For instance, they can read chat messages exchanged between employees by reviewing the saved transcript after the meeting. Although this feature, known as “Meeting Archiving,” must be enabled by contacting Zoom Support, attendees should be notified about the archiving and of their chat messages being stored as well.

Supervisors can also review meetings uploaded to the cloud on the business account and monitor when meetings take place, who participates, and when participants join or leave. It’s worth noting that Zoom removed the “attendee attention tracking” feature, which alerted hosts if participants were not actively engaged in the Zoom app during a meeting.

Teams

Microsoft Teams offers employers significant tracking abilities, leaving little room for guaranteed privacy. Depending on their preferences, bosses can track all chats, calls, and meetings in any channel. They can also monitor employee status, including activity and availability duration on Teams, as well as observe the apps and Teams tools employees are using within the platform.

Google Workspace

Google Workspace provides employers with an overwhelming amount of access, particularly with high-tier plans. Through the “Vault” feature, supervisors can search content from various Google platforms, including Drive, Groups, Chat, Voice Chat, Classic Hangouts, and Google Meet.

Furthermore, employers can search content sent through connected Gmail accounts, such as drafts of unsent emails. They can track sign-in times, user activity, and monitor how users create and send content.

Additional Bossware

Business collaboration apps are just the beginning when it comes to monitoring employees. Bossware, also known as tattleware, is a range of additional software that employers can require workers to install. These tools, such as Hubstaff, InterGuard, Teramind, and TimeCamp, provide employers with even more invasive tracking capabilities.

Bossware tools can monitor which social media apps employees use, the duration of usage, and collect data on their activities within social media accounts, including what they type. Some apps have features like desktop screenshots, real-time recordings, mouse movement tracking, and keystroke tracking to assess “activity” levels.

While these tools may sound invasive or harmful, the Center for Democracy and Technology has warned that bossware could be hazardous to employees’ psychological well-being.

Combining Bossware and AI

A concerning trend in bossware is the combination of monitoring tools with artificial intelligence (AI). This integration allows employers to closely monitor workers and predict future behaviors based on collected data. Tools like RemoteDesk, Veriato, and Perceptyx use AI to transform employee data into risk scores, indicating potential employee dissatisfaction or active job searching.

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然而,由人工智能驱动的老板监控软件存在风险,因为它可能会从员工数据中解读模式,根据员工在电子邮件中表达自己的方式来识别不满意的员工,例如。 这可能会对个人的隐私和工作安全产生影响。

一般来说,通过虚拟工作空间工具跟踪员工活动是合法的,尽管有一些州要求雇主向员工提供有关监控的书面通知。 但是,对老板监控软件的限制还不常见,在大多数情况下,对过度监控没有法律救济。

一些州,比如纽约,正在考虑制定立法限制老板监控软件,并要求公司执行偏见审计以确保公平使用。 但是,这些拟议的立法尚未生效。

重要的是要注意,雇主仍然受州隐私法律、数据隐私法律和反歧视法律的约束。 如果雇主的监控活动过度影响某些保护法定特征的员工群体,比如年龄、性别或种族,那么这将被视为非法行为。

你能做些什么?

关键是要记住,商务协作应用中的任何内容都不是真正私密的。 但是,您可以采取措施来减轻监控的某些方面。 例如,始终保持您的Microsoft Teams状态活跃或在离开计算机时使用鼠标晃动器来模拟活动,可以帮助保持生产力的外观。

如果老板监控软件的侵入性变得无法忍受,值得考虑工作是否真正值得,并探索其他就业选择。

归根结底,在当今数字化工作环境中,在生产力和隐私之间取得平衡至关重要。 了解这些工具的功能和影响,以更有效地管理您的虚拟工作空间。


问答内容

问:我的老板能看到我在Slack上的私人消息吗?

答:不幸的是,即使在Slack上的私人消息也可能不像您想象的那样私密。 通过适当的权限,您的老板可以访问平台上发生的几乎所有事情,包括私人对话。

问:我的雇主能跟踪我在Microsoft Teams上的活动吗?

答:是的,雇主有能力跟踪在Microsoft Teams上发生的几乎所有事情。 他们可以监控聊天、电话、会议、员工状态,甚至是员工在平台内使用的应用程序和工具。

问:商务协作应用是雇主用来监控员工的唯一工具吗?

答:不,还有一个名为老板监控软件或告状软件的整个软件领域,雇主可以要求工人安装。 这些工具不仅限于商务协作应用,还可以监控社交媒体使用情况,拍摄您的桌面截图,甚至跟踪击键和鼠标移动以评估您的活动水平。

问:有没有法律保护来防止员工监控过度?

答:虽然一些州正在考虑限制老板监控软件的立法,但对监控过度的法律限制还不常见。熟悉可能提供一定程度保护的州隐私法律、数据隐私法律和反歧视法律非常重要。


参考资料:

  1. Slack vs. Microsoft Teams: https://www.enble.com/keep-microsoft-teams-active-digital-trends.html
  2. Microsoft’s new stand-alone Teams Essentials takes on Slack for smaller groups: https://www.enble.com/meta-cuts-thirdparty-access-facebook-groups-leaving-developers-customers-disarray-techcrunch.html
  3. How to test your webcam to make sure it’s working: https://www.enble.com/lenovo-made-tiny-robot-sits-laptop-like-webcam.html
  4. Google settles $5B privacy suit involving Chrome browser: https://www.enble.com/google-settles-5b-privacy-suit-involving-chrome-browser-digital-trends.html
  5. Best Google Pixel deals: Save on the Pixel 8, Buds, and Watch: https://www.enble.com/best-google-pixel-deals-save-pixel-8-buds-watch-digital-trends.html
  6. Warning: Bossware May Be Hazardous To Your Health: https://cdt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2021-07-29-Warning-Bossware-May-Be-Hazardous-To-Your-Health-Final.pdf
  7. Microsoft Accessories: Back from the dead: https://www.enble.com/microsoft-accessories-back-dead-digital-trends.html
  8. CES 2024: Native Union debuts 2-in-1 Qi+2 charger, laptop stand, and magnetic power bank: https://www.enble.com/ces-2024-native-union-debuts-2in1-qi2-charger-laptop-stand-magnetic-power-bank.html

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💡 您是否知道,在虚拟工作空间中的行为可能并不像您想象的那样私密?请与朋友和同事分享本文,让大家了解这些平台可能存在的隐私问题!并且不要忘记留言,让我们知道您对工作场所监控的看法或任何经历。

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