#88 Bossware, solidarity and the fight for worker privacy

This week we explore the issue of privacy in the workplace.

Historically employers have been exempt from Privacy Act in Australia, but this is a live issue again with the privacy reform process underway and the Government having agreed in-principle to extending privacy protections to workers.

We also explore how the problem space is expanding in the era of hybrid working and as technologies for tracking and quantifying work continue to evolve.

Links:

Privacy Act Review final report: https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protections/publications/privacy-act-review-report

Article about rise in workplace surveillance (CNBC) https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/24/employee-surveillance-is-on-the-rise-that-could-backfire-on-employers.html

Data and algorithms at work report (UC Berkeley Labor Center) https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Data-and-Algorithms-at-Work.pdf

Article about the rise of 'Bossware' (Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/apr/27/remote-work-software-home-surveillance-computer-monitoring-pandemic

Credits:

Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) eastcoaststudio.com.au

Music by Bensound.com