企业伦理学（原书第5版）教案指导 第7章　道德决策制定：工作场所中的技术和隐私

Chapter07-EthicalDecision-Making:TechnologyandPrivacyintheWorkplace

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IMChapter7:

EthicalDecision-Making:TechnologyandPrivacyintheWorkplace

ChapterObjectives

Afterreadingthischapter,youshouldbeableto:

Explainanddistinguishthetwodefinitionsofprivacy.

Describetheethicalsourcesofprivacyasafundamentalvalue.

Identifythelegalsourcesofprivacyprotection,includingtheconceptofa“reasonableexpectationofprivacy.”

Discussrecentdevelopmentinconnectionwithemployeemonitoring.

Identifyandexplaintherisksinvolvedinafailuretounderstandtheimplicationsoftechnologyanditsuse.

Enumeratethereasonswhyemployerschoosetomonitoremployees’work.

Discusstheethicsofmonitoringasitappliestodrugtesting.

Discusstheethicsofmonitoringasitappliestopolygraphs,genetictesting,andotherformsofsurveillance.

Explaintheinterestsofanemployerinregulatinganemployee’sactivitiesoutsideofwork.

Discusstheimplicationsofworldevents,likerecentimmigrationpolicychanges,onbusinessdecisionsaboutprivacy.

OpeningDecisionPoint

BeingSmartAboutSmartphones

ThisDecisionPointchallengesstudentstoimaginethemselvesinthepositionofanemployeewhousesasmartphonetotakenotesduringameetingwithanimportantclient.Theclient’sCFOispresentatthemeetingandmisinterpretsthisbehavior,assumingthattheemployeeis“fiddlingaroundwiththeirphone.”TheCFOcomplainstotheemployee’ssupervisor.Whileinthesupervisor’sofficetodiscusstheproblem,theemployee’sphonevibrateswithacallfromanotherimportantclient.Theclientdoesnotliketobekeptwaitingandtheemployeeisawarethatafterthreevibratingalerts,thephoneissettoring.

Studentsareaskedtoidentifyasmanyethicalissuesraisedbytheuseofsmartphonesintheworkplaceastheycan,thenconsiderthefollowingquestions:

Pleaselistasmanyethicalissuesasyoucanidentifythatareraisedbytheuseofsmartphonesintheworkplace.

Didyoudoanythingwrongthismorninginthemeeting?

Recallthat,clearly,yourclientwasoffended.Atwhatpointdoesimpolitebehavior—forinstance,actionsthatmightoffendothers,suchasansweringe-mailsduringameetingorevenplayinggames—crossthelineintounethicalbehavior?

Whattypeofpolicywouldyousuggestforanorganizationregardingtheuseofsmartphonesintheworkplace,ifany?

Shouldtherulesbedifferentforusingsmartphonesduringin-housemeetings,ononehand,andduringmeetingswithclientsorsuppliers,ontheother?

Howmightyouhaveacteddifferentlyduringthemeetingdescribedheretohaveachievedadifferentresultwithyourclient?

Whatareyouabouttosaytoyourboss?

Introduction

FlatWorld:ThomasFriedman’sbook,TheWorldisFlat,describesthehasteningpaceofglobalizationandhowsignificantlythebusiness,economicandpoliticallandscapehaschangedinjustthefirstdecadeofthe21stcentury.

Theimageofa“flatworld”isusedtoconveytheideathatdistance,time,geography,andnationalboundariesnolongercreateartificialbarrierstobusinessandtrade.

Infact,9ofthe10forcesthatFriedmanidentifiesascreatingthisflatworldarethedirectresultofcomputerandInternet-relatedtechnologies.

Reference:RealityCheck“PrivacyoftheFuture-Itisnow!”

GlobalBusinessWorld:Thetechnicalrevolutionisnodoubtlargelyresponsiblefortoday’sglobaleconomy,thoughitcomeswithchallengesliketheimpactofemployeeandconsumerprivacy.

Privacy:Privacyissuesintheworkplaceraiseethicalissuesinvolvingindividualrightsaswellasthoseinvolvingutilitarianconsequences.

Workplaceprivacyissuesevokeaninherentconflictbetweentherightsofemployerstoprotecttheirinterests,andtherightsofemployeestobefreefromwrongfulintrusionsintotheirpersonalaffairs.

Conflictscanariseintheworkplaceenvironmentthroughtheregulationofpersonaactivitiesorpersonalchoices,orthroughvariousformsofmonitoring.

Monitoring:Contrastingutilitarianargumentscanbeofferedontheethicsofmonitoringemployees.

TheRighttoPrivacy

ProtectionofPrivacyRights:Withthetremendousincreaseincomputertechnologyinrecentdecades,callsforgreaterprotectionofprivacyrightshaveincreased.

Thereiswidespreadconfusionconcerningthenature,extent,andvalueofprivacy.

SomeWesterncountriesdonotacknowledgealegalrighttoprivacyasitisrecognizedintheUnitedStates(thoughrecallthattheU.S.Constitutionmakesnoexplicitmentionoftherighttoprivacy),whileothersseemfarmoresophisticatedintheircentralizedandconsistentapproachestopersonalprivacyissues.

DefiningPrivacy:

*ChapterObjective1AddressedBelow*

Twogeneralandconnectedunderstandingsofprivacyare:

Privacyasarighttobe“leftalone”withinapersonalzoneofsolitude.

Privacyastherighttocontrolinformationaboutoneself.

Privacyisimportantbecauseitestablishestheboundarybetweenindividualsandtherebyservestodefineone’sindividuality.

Therighttocontrolcertainextremelypersonaldecisionsandinformationhelpsdeterminethekindofpersonweareandthepersonwebecome.

ConflictingBeliefsaboutPrivacy:

Manypeoplebelievethatarighttobeletaloneismuchtoobroadtoberecognizedasamoralright.(i.e.employeesataworkplacearenotgoingtobeleftalone)

Othershaveconcludedthatabetterunderstandingfocusesonprivacyasinvolvingthecontrolofpersonalinformation.

Fromthisperspective,theclearestcaseofaninvasionofprivacyoccurswhenotherscometoknowpersonalinformationaboutus,aswhenastrangerreadsyoure-mailoreavesdropsonapersonalconversation.

Yet,theclaimthatarightofprivacyimpliesarighttocontrolallpersonainformationmightalsobetoobroad.

PhilosophicalArgument:PhilosopherGeorgeBrenkerthasarguedthattheinformationalsenseofprivacyinvolvesarelationshipbetweentwoparties,AandB,andpersonalinformationXaboutA.

PrivacyisonlyviolatedwhenBcomestoknowXandnorelationshipexistsbetweenAandBthatwouldjustifyBknowingX.

Limitingaccessofpersonalinformationonlytothosewithwhomonehasapersonalrelationshipisoneimportantwaytopreserveone’sownpersonalintegrityandindividuality.

Itisperhapsthatchoiceoflimitationorcontrolthatisthesourceofone’ssenseofprivacy.

**TeachingNote:Todrivehometherelevanceofprivacytotoday’sstudents,sometimesitisimportanttofindtopicsonwhichtheyfeelvulnerable.Oneofthosetopicsmightbehowlongsomethingcanfollowthemintothefuture.Considerdiscussingwhetherauniversityshouldidentifythereasonbehindadismissal(expulsion)ofastudentifitwasforacademicintegrityreasons.Shouldauniversitydisclosethisinformationonthestudent’stranscriptsuchthatitwouldfollowherorhimtherestoftheirlives?

EthicalSourcesofaRighttoPrivacy:

*ChapterObjective2DiscussedBelow*

SocialContract:Therighttoprivacyisfoundedintheindividual’sfundamental,universalrighttoautonomy.Thisrightisrestricted,byasocialcontractinourculturethatpreventsusfrominfringingonsomeoneelse’srighttoherorhispersonalautonomy.

PhilosopherPatriciaWerhanedescribesthisboundaryasa“reciprocalobligation”;thatis,foranindividualtoexpectrespectforherorhispersonalautonomy,thatindividualhasareciprocalobligationtorespecttheautonomyofothers.

Appliedtotheworkplace:reciprocalobligationimpliesthat,whileanemployeehasanobligationtorespectthegoalsandpropertyoftheemployer,theemployerhasreciprocalobligationtorespecttherightsoftheemployeeaswell,includingtheemployee’srighttoprivacy.

Kantlinksthemoralworthofindividualsto“thesupremevalueoftheirrationalcapacitiesfornormativeself-determination”andconsidersprivacyacategoricalmoralimperative.

Hypernorms:EthicistsThomasDonaldsonandThomasDunfeehavedevelopedanapproachtoethicalanalysisthatseekstodifferentiatebetweenthosevaluesthatarefundamentalacrosscultureandtheory,“hypernorms,”andthosevaluesthataredeterminedwithin“moralfreespace”andthatarenothypernorms.

Theyproposethatwelooktotheconvergenceofreligious,cultural,andphilosophicalbeliefsaroundcertaincoreprinciplesasacluetotheidentificationofhypernorms.(Examples:therighttopersonalfreedom,therighttoinformedconsent)

Individualprivacyisatthecoreofmanyofthesebasicminimalrightsandisanecessaryprerequisitetomanyofthem.Ultimately,thefailuretoprotectprivacymayleadtoaninabilitytoprotectpersonalfreedomandautonomy.

AdiscussionofprivacyinthecontextoflibertyandautonomymaybejustNorth-Americanbased.AEuropeanfoundationwouldbebasedontheprotectionofhumandignity.

*Reference:RealityCheck“Privacy:EuropeComparedtotheUnitedStates”

PropertyRights:Legalanalysisofprivacyusingapropertyrightsperspectiveyieldsinsightintopersonalfreedomsandrights.

“Property”isanindividual’slifeandallnonprocreativederivatives,suchasthoughts,ideasandpersonalinformation,ofherorhislife.

Theconceptofpropertyrightsinvolvesadeterminationofwhomaintainscontrolovertangiblesandintangibles,includingpersonalinformation.

Propertyrightsrelatingtopersonalinformationthusdefineactionsthatindividualscantakeinrelationtootherindividualsregardingtheirpersonalinformation.

Privatepropertyrightsdependupontheexistenceandenforcementofasetofrulesthatdefinewhohasarighttoundertakewhichactivitiesontheirowninitiativeandhowthereturnsfromthoseactivitieswillbeallocated.

LegalSourcesofaRighttoPrivacyintheUnitedStates:

*ChapterObjective3AddressedBelow*

Thelawhasnotyetcaughtupwiththetechnologyinvolvedinemployeeprivacy.Asaresult,thisisoneareawheresimplyobeyingthelawmayfallfarshortofresponsiblemanagementpractice.(i.e.Whilethelawmaybeveryclearwithregardtotappingaworker’stelephone,itislessclearwithmonitoringaworker’se-mailortextmessagesonahandhelddevice)

PrivacycanbelegallyprotectedintheUnitedStatesinthreeways:bytheconstitution(federalorstate),byfederaland/orstatestatutes,andbythecommonlaw.

Commonlawreferstothebodyoflawcomprisedofthedecisionhandeddownbycourts,ratherthanspecifiedinanyparticularstatutesorregulations.

TheU.S.Constitution’sFourthAmendmentprotectionagainstanunreasonablesearchandseizuregovernsonlythepublicsectorworkplacebecausetheConstitutionappliesonlytostateaction.Therefore,unlesstheemployeristhegovernmentorotherrepresentativeofthestate,theConstitutiongenerallywillnotapply.

Statutesalsoofferlittle,ifany,protectionfromworkplaceintrusions.

TheElectronicCommunicationsPrivacyActof1986(ECPA)prohibitsthe"interception"orunauthorizedaccessofstoredcommunications.

Thecourtshaverulethat“interception”appliesonlytomessagesintransitandnottomessagesthathaveactuallyreachedcompanycomputers.ThereforetheimpactofECPAistopunishelectronicmonitoringonlybythirdpartiesandnotbyemployers.

TheECPAallowsinterceptionwhereconsenthasbeengranted.AfirmthatsecuresemployeeconsenttomonitoringatthetimeofhireisimmunefromECPAliability.

*Reference:“RealityCheck–EyesintheSky”*

Somestatesrelyonstatutoryprotectionsratherthancommonlaw.Othersprovideconstitutionalrecognitionandprotectionofprivacyrights.

InallstatesexceptCalifornia,applicationofthisprovisiontoprivatesectororganizationsislimited,uncertain,ornotincludedatall.

“Intrusionintoseclusion”isaninvasionofprivacylegalviolationoccurswhensomeoneintentionallyintrudesontheprivateaffairsofanotherwhentheintrusionwouldbe“highlyoffensivetoareasonableperson.”

EXAMPLE:InCityofOntariov.Quon(2010),theU.S.SupremeCourtaddressedtheissueofemployermonitoringforthefirsttime.

TwoCaliforniapoliceofficersweredisciplinedafteranauditoftextmessagesoncity-issuesdevicesfoundthatmanyoftheofficers'textswerepersonalinnature.Thoughtheofficershadbeenassuredbytheirsupervisorthatanauditwouldnotbeperformed,theCourtdeterminedthattheauditwaspermissiblenonethelessbecausethereviewofthemessageswasreasonably"work-related."

However,relyingontheQuoncaseasprecedentforprotectioninregardstoelectronicsurveillanceofemployeesisadouble-edgedsword.

UndertheQuonprecedent,howmuchprotectionforelectroniccommunicationstheFourthAmendmentwillprovidetoemployeesremainsunclear.

Aswell,thoseprotectionsdonotextendtotheprivatesector.RememberthattheemployerinQuonwasagovernmentagency.

Inasubsequentcase,Rileyv.California,theU.S.SupremeCourtunanimouslyfoundexplicitprotectionundertheFourthAmendmentofcellphonesandothersimilardevices.

Employersmaywishtoconsidermorecarefullythenatureandextentofsearchestheymayconductonthesedevices,butalsowhethertheirpoliciesaredraftedclearlyenoughtoalertemployeesofthepotentialscopeofsuchsearchesandthelevelofprivacyemployeescanexpect.

Notice:ManyrecentU.S.courtprivacydecisionsseemtodependonwhethertheworkerhadnoticethatthemonitoringmightoccur.

Anemployee’slegitimateandreasonableexpectationofprivacyisthebasisforfindinganinvasionofprivacy.Ifanemployeehasactualnotice,thentheretrulyisnorealexpectationofprivacy.

ThisconclusionwassupportedinK-Martv.Trotti,wherethecourtheldthatsearchofanemployee’scompany-ownedlockerwasunlawfulinvasionsincetheemployeeusedhisownlock.However,inSmythv.Pillsbury,thecourtheldthatmonitoringisallowedevenwhenafirmpromisednottomonitor.

Evidenceoftheimpactofthisdecisionisthefactthatonlytwostates,ConnecticutandDelaware,requireemployerstonotifyworkerswhentheyarebeingmonitored.

Increasingly,however,statesareenactinglawstolimitemployermonitoringpowers.Asof2018,26states(plusGuam)prohibitemployersfromobtainingsocialmediapasswordsfromprospectiveorcurrentemployees.

*ReferenceTable7.1Here*

GlobalApplications:TheunpredictableregimeofprivacyprotectionisallthemoreproblematictomaintainwhenoneconsiderstheimplicationsoftheEuropeanUnion’sGeneralDataProtectionRegulation(GDPR).

TheGDPRprovidesthatpersonalinformationcannotbecollectednorsharedbycompanieswithoutindividuals’permission.Informationaboutwhoisusingthedataandforwhatpurposeitisbeingcollectedmustbeprovidedinaclear,easilyunderstandablemanner.Further,consumershavetherighttoreviewthedata,correctinaccuraciesandrequestthattheybeerased.

Allcompanies–regardlessoftheirsizeorlocation–arerequiredtocomplywithGDPRiftheyofferfreeorpaidgoodsorservicestoEUresidentsandcollecttheconsumer'spersonalinformation.(i.e.evensmallcompaniesbasedintheU.S.canstillbesubjecttothislaw)

TheEuropeanUniondoesnotallowthetransferofdataonitscitizensoutsideofthecountryunlessthecountryisdeemedtohaveadequatedataprivacylaws.Unfortunately,theEUhasdeemedthattheUSdoesnothaveadequatedataprivacylaws,butorganizationscannavigatethisbyadheringsomethingcalledthe"PrivacyShield.Underthisagreement,U.S.companiesmustadheretoadetailedsetofstandards,whichsurpasswhatU.S.lawtypicallyrequires.

*Reference:Table7.2here*

LegalUncertainty:Ethicsisperhapstheonlysourceofananswertothelegaluncertaintyorinstabilityconcerningthechallengingareasofinformationgathering.

BusinessImplications:Whataretheimplicationsofthisunderstandingofprivacyforbusinessesandforbusinessethicsanalysis?

Onewouldarguethatpersonalinformationshouldremainprivateunlessarelationshipexistsbetweenthebusinessandtheindividualthatlegitimatescollectingandusingpersonalinformationaboutthatindividual.

Thenatureoftheemploymentrelationshiphelpsdeterminetheappropriateboundarybetweenemployersandemployeesandthereforetheinformationthatoughttoremainrightfullyprivatewithintheworkplace.

Ifweadoptsomethinglikeacontractualmodelofemployment,wheretheconditionsandtermsofemploymentaresubjecttothemutualandinformedconsentofbothparties,thenemployeeconsentwouldbecomeonemajorconditiononwhatinformationemployerscancollect.

Employeeprivacyisviolatedwhenever:

Employersinfringeuponpersonaldecisionthatarenotrelevanttotheemploymentcontract(whetherthecontractisimpliedorexplicit)

Personalinformationthatisnotrelevanttothatcontractiscollected,stored,orusedwithouttheinformedconsentoftheemployee.

Theburdenofproof:restsontheemployertoestablishtherelevancyofpersonaldecisionsandinformationatissue.

DecisionPoint

InquiringEmployersWanttoKnow

ThisDecisionPointaddressestheboundariesofprivacywithinanemploymentapplication.Thefollowinginformationissometimesrequestedonstandardemploymentapplications,thoughcandidatesmightconsidersomeofittobeprivateorpersonal.Whichofthefollowingitemsaboutanemployeemightanemployerhavealegitimateclaimtoknow,andwhy?Whatinformationmightleadtounreasonableintrusionsordiscriminatorypractices,andwhy?

Ajobapplicant’ssocialsecuritynumber

Anapplicant’sarrestrecord

Anemployee’smedicalrecords

Anemployee’smaritalstatus

Whetherajobapplicantsmokes

Anemployee’spoliticalaffiliation

Anemployee’ssexualorientation

Anemployee’screditrating

Anemployee’spriorsalary

Studentsshouldconsiderthefollowingquestionsintheirassessmentofthisscenario:

Whatfactsarerelevanttoyourdecisions?

Whatwouldtheconsequencesbeofrefusingtoansweranyquestionsonanemploymentapplication?

Areyoubasingyourdecisiononparticularrightsoftheemployeeortheemployer?

Aretherepeopleotherthantheemployerandemployeewhomighthaveastakeinwhatinformationisreleasedtoemployers?

LinkingtheValueofPrivacytotheEthicalImplicationsofTechnology

ChallengingPrivacy:Theadventofnewtechnologychallengesprivacyinwayswecouldneverbeforeimagine.Considertheimplicationstechnologyhasfor:

Employeeandemployerexpectationsregardingtheuseoftime.

Thedistinctionbetweenworkuseandpersonaluseoftechnology.

Theprotectionofproprietaryinformation.

Performancemanagement.

Privacyinterests.

Accessibilityissuesrelatedtothedigitaldivide.

IncreasedOpportunitiesandChallenges:

Technologyallowsforin-homeoffices,raisingextraordinaryopportunitiesaswellaschallenges,issuesofsafety,andprivacyconcerns.

Becausetechnologyallowseachofustobemoreproductive,itprovidesusbenefitsandallowsemployerstoaskmoreofeachemployee.

Advancesintechnologyseemtoblurboundariesbetweenleisureandworktime,aswellasbetweenourplacesofworkandourhomes.

ValueJudgments:Newtechnologydoesnotnecessarilyimpactourvaluejudgmentsbutinsteadsimplyprovidesnewwaystogathertheinformationonwhichtobasethem.

ConsidertheattacksofSeptember11,2001,onaU.S.employer’sdecisiontosharepersonalemployeeinformationorcustomerinformationwithlawenforcement.Privatefirmsmaybemorewilling,orlesswilling,todaytoshareprivateinformationthantheywouldhavebeenpreviously.

NewTechnologyMeansNewChallenges:Firmsoftenexperience,andfindthemselvesill-preparedfor,unanticipatedchallengesstemmingfromnewtechnology.

EXAMPLE:AnemployeeatPhoneDog,acompanythatprovidesmobiledevicenewsandreviews,createdawork-relatedTwitteraccountthatamassed17,000followers.Whenheleftthecompany,hekeptcontroloftheaccountanduseditashispersonalaccount.Thecompanysued,buttheemployeeclaimedthattheaccountbelongedtohim.Thecaseisongoing,butregardlessoftheoutcome,itillustratesthedangersoffailingtoestablishclearpoliciesgoverningtheusenewtechnologiesastheyariseintheworkplace.

NewEthicsforaNewEconomy?

Thesamevaluesoneheldunderpreviouscircumstances,iftheyaretrueandjustified,shouldpermeateandrelatetolatercircumstances.

Perspectivesareimpactedbytheunderstandinganduseofnewtechnology.

Aneconomist,AntonioArgandona,cautionsaboutthechangeinvaluesthatmaybecausedbyopportunitiescreatedbytechnology,buthealsopointstothegoodthatnewtechnologycoulddo,includingdevelopingdepressedareas,defendinghumanrights,andincreasingcitizenshipparticipation.

InformationandPrivacy:

Businessesneedtobeabletoanticipatetheperceptionsofitsstakeholdersinordertobeabletomakethemosteffectivedecisionsforitslong-termsustainability.Newtechnologycanbeconfusingforthepublicsoithelpstoplanaheadfortechnologicalchanges.

Trustisthekeyissuewiththeintroductionofnewtechnology.

EXAMPLE:ThemottoatGoogle,theInternet-basedsearchengine,is“don’tbeevil”(originallyusedasitscoremotto,nowretainedasthelastsentenceofitsCodeofConduct).Thecompanyissensitivetostakeholderconcernsasitdevelopsnewtechnology(suchasachoicenottoallowgunads.)

Whenconsumersrelyontechnologyprovidedbyabusiness,theymighteasilyassumethatthebusinesswillrespecttheirprivacy.Theywouldliketobelievethatthoseresponsibleforthetechnologyare,themselves,accountabletotheuser.

*ReferenceDecisionPoint:“TechnologyDilemmas”

DecisionPoint

TechnologyDilemmas

ThisDecisionPointaddressesquestionsaboutusingtechnologyfor“good”or“evil”raisedbyananonymousWebpostingbyanemployeewhohasbeendirectedbymanagementtouseacomputerprogramtospyonacolleague.Theemployeeseeksgeneralthoughtsandadviceregardinglegalprotectionagainstliabilityforfollowingthisdirective.

Studentsshouldconsiderthefollowingquestionsinassessingthisscenario:

Whatarethekeyfactsrelevanttoyourresponse?

Whatistheethicalissueinvolvedinpeerspyingintheworkplace?

Whoarethestakeholders?

Whatalternativeswouldyousuggesttothisindividual,andwhatalternativesexistforemployerswhowishtogatherinformationaboutemployeessurreptitiously?

Howdothealternativescompare;howdothealternativesaffectthestakeholders?

ShouldMoralRequirementsBeImposed?

EconomistAntonioArgandonacontendsthatifnewtechnologyisdependentonandhasasitssubstanceinformationanddata,thensignificantmoralrequirementsshouldbeimposedonthatinformation.Hesuggeststhefollowingnecessaryelements:

Truthfulnessandaccuracy:Thepersonprovidingtheinformationmustensurethatitistruthfulandaccurate,atleasttoareasonabledegree.

Respectforprivacy:Thepersonreceivingoraccumulatinginformationmusttakeintoaccounttheethicallimitsofindividuals’(andorganizations’)privacy.Thiswouldincludeissuesrelatingtocompanysecrets,espionage,andintelligencegathering.

Respectforpropertyandsafetyrights:Areasofpotentialvulnerability,includingnetworksecurity,sabotage,theftofinformationandimpersonation,areenhancedandmustthereforebeprotected.

Accountability:Technologyallowsforgreateranonymityanddistance,requiringaconcurrentincreasedexigencyforpersonalresponsibilityandaccountability.

Howmightfirmsrespondtothiscallforresponsibilityinthedevelopment,manufacture,marketingandservicerelatedtonewproductionorothercorporateactivities?Whatethicalissuesdoesthisproposalraise?

ManagingEmployeesthroughMonitoring

*ChapterObjective4AddressedBelow*

MonitoringintheWorkplace:Oneofthemostprevalentformsofinformationgatheringintheworkplaceisemployermonitoringofemployees’work;andtechnologyhasaffordedemployersenormousabilitiestodothiseffectivelyatlowcosts.

DATA:Accordingtoonesurvey,88percentofemployeesusesocialmediaatleastonceduringtheworkdayand18percentcheckmorethan10timeseachday.

DATA:Thereisanincreasingtrendwithinmid-tolarge-sizedU.S.firmswithregardtoemployeee-mailandinternetmonitoring.

AsurveyconductedbytheAmericanAcademyofManagementfoundthatnearly80percentoflargecompaniesmonitortheiremployees’useofemail,internet,andphone.Thatnumberrisesto90percentforfirmsinparticularlysensitiveindustries.

Productivityisaprimaryconcernforemployerswhofeeltheiremployeesbringtoomuchoftheirpersonallivestotheworkplace.OneCareerBsurveyfoundthat41percentofworkersnamed"theInternet"asthelargestproductivitykilleratwork,while37percentnamed"socialmedia.

Employeemonitoringhasevencrossedthethresholdfromcomputerusetobodyautonomy.

Biotrackingtechnologyallowemployerstorecordthenumberofstepsthatemployeestakesinaday,theirheartrate,whattheyeatanddrink,howmuchsleeptheygetand

eventheirhormonelevels.Theinformationgatheredfromthistechnologyoftenisincorporatedintoemployeewellnessprograms.Oneemployerhasevenbeguntestingtrackingimplantsinemployees.

*ChapterObjective5AddressedBelow*

HiddenEthicalIssues:Manyoftheethicalissuesthatariseintheareaofmanaginginformationarenotreadilyvisible.

Whenwedonotcompletelyunderstandthetechnology,wemightnotunderstandtheethicalimplicationsofourdecisionsandwearenotableeffectivelytoprotectourowninformation.

Whenwemistakenlybelievethatnooneiswatching,wemayengageinactivitiesthatwewouldotherwiserefrainfromdoing,suchasdeletingane-mailmessagethatwedonotwantanyonetoread.

Aknowledgegapexistsbetweenpeoplewhounderstandthetechnologyandotherswhoareunabletoprotectthemselvesbecausetheydonotunderstand.

Access:Technologyallowsforaccesstoinformationthatwasneverbeforepossible.

Accesscantakeplaceunintentionally,suchasasupervisordiscoveringpersonalinformationduringaroutinebackgroundcheck.

Technologyallowsustoworkfromalmostanywhereontheplanet,sowea