Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

A report by the US based Privacy Foundation has revealed that more than a third of US workers using on-line services regularly are exposed to continuous e-mail and internet surveillance. According to the report, 14 million workers are being constantly monitored for their on-line activities in the US and on a global scale it estimates that the numbers may reach 27 million.

In the report, the widespread use of e-mail and internet surveillance in the workplace is primarily attributed to the low cost of monitoring technology. It may also be influenced by a growing awareness of the potential threat to security posed by employees abusing internet and e-mail facilities. The research shows that the market for surveillance software is valued at $140 million per year, which breaks down to an average cost of about $5.25 for every individual employee monitored per year.

The position of employees regarding on-line monitoring in the US contrasts markedly with that in the UK, where strict codes of practice and regulations limit the powers of employers to invade the privacy of their employees.

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