While I sympathize with that concern, I do really believe that actively preventing employees from employing natural means of 'private' conversation is squarely in the 'panopticon' sphere of employment. I find it difficult enough that people can be 'owned' for full work weeks as far as their physical presence, but I suppose I'm pragmatic enough to accept that this is the status quo. But the thought that they are actively monitored during this time, preventing them from even private venting and communicating in a way that is not monitored, is much harder to accept.
We're talking about people here. While I personally have never understood how anyone can accept being under the thumb of an employer for such long periods of time out of their productive years, I've learned to see that this is bearable within the relative freedom that this usually entails (complaining about x colleague, grumbling about the boss with the support staff, after-work beers with a manager who grumbles about his manager), I truly cannot understand how one can have a dignified life as an individual when all your forms of communication are being watched by your overlords.
You think I like any of this? Do you really think I get my jollies from looking in someone's e-mail to find a picture they e-mailed another employee that is so far into NSFW that it is sickening. Or the fun of finding out how some employee is plotting with others to make life miserable for someone else? I would prefer people keep their crap off the servers intended to do business.
We have folks here who have argued that a remark at a conference should get someone fired from work. We are talking about something owned and operated by a company that they will be legally liable for unless they are vigilant. Something that hits the press and people will be saying "why didn't the company know?" and "how could they not stop it?".
Yeah, we are talking about people here. Companies get sued and people lose their jobs.
Never mind the professions that absolutely have every communication logged and monitored.
If you want something the company cannot look at then use something outside the company. Its really that simple[1]. Its really simple, if you don't pay for it then it is not yours. If its not your computer then don't expect privacy.
I still cannot understand the folks who want to use stuff from work systems even when they are not work related. Have your own life, interests, and stuff. You are trading your time and work for money. Don't give companies something beyond what they pay for.
I truly cannot understand how one can have a dignified life as an individual when all your forms of communication are being watched by your overlords.
If your place of employment owns all your forms of communication then you have a lot more problems beyond this.
1) well, unless you get into something really nasty and the court discovery orders start flying.
I can't seem to edit my comment, so I'll comment on my comment instead:
To put this in a broader perspective, because I'm tired of the comment-sniping that doesn't seem to lead anywhere:
I find myself already a bit uneasy with the whole idea that an individual can write away their freedom to spend their daylight hours tethered to an employer to the point where their every (productive, sunlit) hour needs to be accounted for.
At the same time I can understand that this is how things are, and we are trying to be human within that sphere, and perhaps for many this is not so bad as long as they can live in a microcosm of society within this world. That includes gossip, complaining, semi-secret conversation, and even romance (while that's often not smart).
I'd really prefer to engage with those who employ and get to dictate the behavior of said employees, instead of comment-sniping where we never bridge that 'gap' between me, a self-employed, individual (because I reject all that), and someone who actively is 'in charge' of people who submit to it.
I do realize that my wording in itself is not neutral, but I hope acknowledging that helps bridge that gap a bit at least. And I have counted those 'in charge' as friends in the past, plus I know I'm not a typical 'person', so I'm open to learning to understand this whole thing.
We're talking about people here. While I personally have never understood how anyone can accept being under the thumb of an employer for such long periods of time out of their productive years, I've learned to see that this is bearable within the relative freedom that this usually entails (complaining about x colleague, grumbling about the boss with the support staff, after-work beers with a manager who grumbles about his manager), I truly cannot understand how one can have a dignified life as an individual when all your forms of communication are being watched by your overlords.