According to Ronan Farrow, over 70% of employers use some form of digital monitoring. They rank you against your coworkers and flag you if they deem you as unproductive. They track your locations even when you’re off of work. They are constantly sharing your data with third parties. They analyze your voice and facial expressions to build a behavioral profile and flag you as “employable” based on your fucking voice. It flags if your mood changes. CVS, McDonald’s, Amazon, etc. all use this tech. But so do major hospitals and police departments.
This data is being collected in malicious ways and in ways that would surprise you. They track your menstrual cycle. They track your voting habits. They track every single little thing. And they are never using it to give you a raise or offer you a more enjoyable job. They only use this data to blackmail you into more work, or to fire you completely because they flag you as incompatible with the company culture.
So what do we do?
Never cross streams. Keep personal devices separate from work devices. Never assume your company laptop isn’t watching the fuck out of you even when it’s off. Even if your phone is turned off, they’re tracking you. Use a VPN. Treat any company device as if the camera and microphone are always on. Never install a company app on your personal phone. Keep your own log of all of your accomplishments at work, even the small ones. And check your state laws. If your state requires your employer to disclose monitoring, see what your company reveals in the employee handbook. Talk to your union, if you’re in one. Your data is being used against you to keep you productive but this is a form of coercive control. You have to give up your privacy or you give up your ability to make a living. It’s our jobs to push back NOW, while we still can. Fight for transparency. Knowing is half the battle.
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The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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