Employers Use AI Surveillance to Track Worker Productivity

Thousands of employers are utilizing digital surveillance tools to track worker productivity, locations, and communications, a practice that expanded during the coronavirus pandemic. These tools include AI-driven data sets, webcam access, and software integrated into common platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Office. Experts warn these systems can be used to predict employee behavior or punish workers.

An investigation by Vanderbilt University, Northeastern University, and the University of California, Berkeley found that some monitoring programs share personal worker data with outside brokers without clear disclosure. While states including New York, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maine require employers to notify staff of such monitoring, many workers remain unaware of the extent of the surveillance. Examples of intrusive practices include managers tracking the exact duration of pharmacist appointments and college administrators reading private student-teacher communications.

Privacy experts from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Data & Society advise employees to avoid using company-issued devices for personal matters. Wilneida Negrón of the nonprofit Coworker noted that workers with the least labor market power often serve as testing grounds for the most intrusive forms of data collection. Experts recommend that employees coordinate with unions to advocate for transparency and push back against surveillance tools.