IP: Privacy: Companies admit spying on staff

["Vladimir Z. Nuri" <vznuri@netcom.com>]

From: believer@telepath.com
Subject: IP: Privacy: Companies admit spying on staff
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 12:14:18 -0500
To: believer@telepath.com

Source:  The Age (Australia)
http://www.theage.com.au:80/daily/980910/news/news19.html

Companies admit spying on staff 

By LEON GETTLER 

More than one in two of Australia's largest companies carry out
video surveillance of their employees and the general public, a
survey has found.

The survey revealed that 94 per cent of the companies also
monitored employees' phone conversations, electronic mail and
Internet usage although the focus appeared to be mostly on
volume and frequency rather than content.

For example, 16 per cent monitored phone usage while the
conversations themselves were only monitored by 2 per cent.
Similarly, email usage was monitored by 13 per cent while 6 per
cent of the companies were combing through the actual
messages. Scrutiny of Internet usage would also reveal the web
sites that employees had visited.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers survey found that 65 per cent of
companies regarded monitoring as a normal part of employment
and 85 per had informed their employees that they were being
watched. However, they were often not as forthcoming about
seemingly minor details, like time and place.

PricewaterhouseCoopers information and security partner Mr
Stephen Woolley said there was a better than 50-50 chance that
Australians would be filmed or recorded at some stage during
the day. In the case of the general public, it would be without
their consent.

``As is the practice of companies both here and overseas, this
information will probably go on file for some years,'' Mr
Woolley said.

About half the companies said information gathered in Australia
on customers, employees and the general public was sent
overseas for international data bases.

The study also revealed alarming gaps in the privacy guidelines
of some companies.

Only 35 per cent had formally documented privacy policies in
place and 38 per cent said they did not undertake any
monitoring to ensure compliance with in-house privacy
guidelines. Eight out of 10 organisations did not require staff to
undertake privacy training.

The survey covered 65 of Australia's largest companies spanning
across all major industries including utilities, telecommunications,
natural resources, retail, credit, banking and finance, insurance
and manufacturing.

Based on their total turnover and size of assets, the companies
that responded to the survey would represent more than half of
corporate Australia.

More than one in 10 companies did not inform staff that they
could be monitored.
 
Published by The Age Online Pty Ltd ACN 069 962 885
�1998 David Syme & Co Ltd 
-----------------------
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is
distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior
interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and
educational purposes only. For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
-----------------------




**********************************************
To subscribe or unsubscribe, email:
     majordomo@majordomo.pobox.com
with the message:
     (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address
**********************************************
www.telepath.com/believer
**********************************************