User:Blakeburd/Sandbox2

Computer surveillance in the workplace refers to the element of employee monitoring where an employee is provided with a computer to complete their duties at work and the employer engages in actively monitoring the usage of the computer. Computer surveillance may also refer to the use of computers to assist in more traditional security video or audio monitoring.

Computer Usage
Based on the technology and methods used, computer monitoring can track all activity or a specific type of activity on a company computer or terminal. Many tools used for monitoring computer usage include one or more of the following types:


 * Screen monitoring can incorporate video or static images of the all screen activity or the activity within a particular program or computer application.
 * Data monitoring can track the content and changes to files stored on the local [hard drive] or in the user's "private" network share.
 * [Keystroke monitoring] (e.g., number of keystrokes per minute) has been used to track the performance of keyboard intensive work such as word processing or data entry. [Keystroke logging] captures all keyboard input to enable the employer to monitor anything typed on the monitored machine.
 * Idle time monitoring can be used to track time when the employee is away from the computer or the computer is not being actively used.

Internet
Internet surveillance is the monitoring of Internet data traffic, web access, and other online activity.
 * Web
 * Email
 * Instant Messaging

Legality
This type of monitoring is generally allowed where the employer owns the computers, terminals, network, and Internet access. Depending on the country or legal jurisdiction and the specific methods of surveillance used, there may be additional requirements to notify the employee of the monitoring or monitoring policy to be legal.

Labor union contracts and other forms of employment agreements may offer some protection from monitoring. Additionally, in the United States, public sector employees may have some protection under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Employees in California may have additional protection under specific portions of state statue.

https://www.privacyrights.org/ar/employees-rights.htm

In some cases, employers are required to maintain documentation of emails and other communications for regulatory or compliance purposes. The monitoring of email and instant messaging communications may be part of these requirements.

Perception
In organizations without stated computer usage or monitoring policy, employees typically use the company computer at their respective discretion and, in most cases, there may be no visible restrictions or monitoring of the activities performed on this computer.

Criticism
cite of webcam monitoring case in PA
 * Monitoring of computer usage may lower employee morale
 * Employees may consider computer surveillance to be a breach of their personal privacy
 * May effect employee performing in a negative way, therefore harming the company as a whole