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> But she was a "criminal" I work for a company that provide Electronic Monitoring (EM) services to jurisdictions. This system is used to track participants an

> But she was a "criminal" I work for a company that provide Electronic Monitoring (EM) services to jurisdictions. This system is used to track participants and make sure they go where they are supposed to go and stay out of where they aren't supposed to go. Recently my company has been in talks to expand our surveillance of participants to monitor/record all their calls (we give them a phone), record their SMS's, record their web and app history, etc. I am strongly opposed to this as I see it as a huge privacy violation but management sees it as "They are criminals", "The alternative is prison", and "It's our phone, we will do what we want". One senior member even went as far to say (when I brought up my opposition) "Don't worry about the ethics/morality, just do it" which really pisses me off. I really hate this attitude of anyone convicted of crime being sub-human and not deserving of privacy. This cuts me especially deep because I was told when I signed on that one of the reasons we give them a semi-new android phone is so they can use it for web browsing and apps to help them get back on their feet (find a job/house) and that we want to treat people with dignity. Monitoring everything they do makes that statement a complete lie in my book and I really want nothing to do with it. I will continue to push back but does anyone have any good arguments to the points they are making? I have obtained a copy of the contract participants sign and as it stands right now this extended monitoring is NOT something they consent to (mind you they could just update the contract and get them to sign the updated version).

GuiA 12y ago
Human psychology still has a strong component of tribal culture in it. That's why "us vs them" works so well in politics, even though you'd think in our civilized society it'd be a completely ineffective argument. Right now, you're against the tribe. Not only that, but the tribe's position is cemented by financial interests and people at the top whose job is to make sure that things stay the way they are. When I've been in situations like that before, it always ended up in the "dissident" employees being dismissed, shut up, or fired. I'd tell you to speak your mind about this issue during an all hands meeting, and conclude your tirade by "I quit this company", but not everyone can afford to pull off a stunt like this.
- anon9191 12y ago
  > I'd tell you to speak your mind about this issue during an all hands meeting, and conclude your tirade by "I quit this company", but not everyone can afford to pull off a stunt like this. Another guy who spoke up and went as far as to create a 1984 + our company name mashup poster got a talking to from the president. I have spoken up and will continue to, however, as much as I hate to admit it I need this job. I am passively looking elsewhere but part of me wants to stay and try to change it for the better. I joined in the first place because I believed in their mission to help re-integrate people into society, I thought I was joining the "good guys". I don't want to be responsible for writing code that prys into these people's lives and I really don't want to be a part of a company that does it at all. I understand we need to track these participants but location tracking is about as far as I feel comfortable with, anything more just feels wrong.
  - GuiA 12y ago
    I can only empathize. Good luck.

GuiA 12y ago

Human psychology still has a strong component of tribal culture in it. That's why "us vs them" works so well in politics, even though you'd think in our civilized society it'd be a completely ineffective argument. Right now, you're against the tribe. Not only that, but the tribe's position is cemented by financial interests and people at the top whose job is to make sure that things stay the way they are. When I've been in situations like that before, it always ended up in the "dissident" employees being dismissed, shut up, or fired. I'd tell you to speak your mind about this issue during an all hands meeting, and conclude your tirade by "I quit this company", but not everyone can afford to pull off a stunt like this.

anon9191 12y ago
> I'd tell you to speak your mind about this issue during an all hands meeting, and conclude your tirade by "I quit this company", but not everyone can afford to pull off a stunt like this. Another guy who spoke up and went as far as to create a 1984 + our company name mashup poster got a talking to from the president. I have spoken up and will continue to, however, as much as I hate to admit it I need this job. I am passively looking elsewhere but part of me wants to stay and try to change it for the better. I joined in the first place because I believed in their mission to help re-integrate people into society, I thought I was joining the "good guys". I don't want to be responsible for writing code that prys into these people's lives and I really don't want to be a part of a company that does it at all. I understand we need to track these participants but location tracking is about as far as I feel comfortable with, anything more just feels wrong.
- GuiA 12y ago
  I can only empathize. Good luck.