Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft to Spy on Employees
4T writes "Forget about monitoring your computers with spyware, now they're going to monitor the users as well!
'Microsoft is developing Big Brother-style software capable of remotely monitoring a worker's productivity, physical wellbeing and competence.
The Times has seen a patent application filed by the company for a computer system that links workers to their computers via wireless sensors that measure their metabolism. The system would allow managers to monitor employees' performance by measuring their heart rate, body temperature, movement, facial expression and blood pressure. Unions said they fear that employees could be dismissed on the basis of a computer's assessment of their physiological state.'"
I think Microsoft probably has hundreds of patents for things they don't ever intend to actually make, but just in case someone else does they want to be there to make a buck off of licensing. I highly doubt that they actually think this type of software would currently be accepted in today's climate, at least not unless they call it something innovative like "The USA Health-watch Patriot Software". I've found that its important to include the word "Patriot" in all aspects of your life, it really just gets you instant approval to do whatever you want!
Well, i'm off to use my iPatriot computer and drive my Patriot Chevy to the Patriot Meeting this afternoon. Come to think of it, thats probably why New England is winning so much, everyone else just needs to put Patriot in their team name!
"To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." - Tennyson
Given how much my blood pressure skyrockets under the influence of Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, I'm not sure that MS really will want this data due to liability issues. If MS collects data that shows that MS products reduce the health and wellbeing of users, that makes MS more culpable for those products. Of course, IANAL so maybe a new "not responsible for user's health" section of the the EULA will cover MS legally.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
This reminds me of the chapter in Snow Crash that focuses on YT's mom's job for the feds. Federal employees have to constantly take lie detector tests and all emails have a suggested reading time. If the employee reads a note faster than expected, they're probably skimming and not taking in all the information. If the employee takes too long to read, then they're probably slow or distracted. It was a great chapter tucked into the middle of the book.
Reviewing just the first hour of video games.
Don't worry, we'll just outsource the wearing of our biometrics to people in southeast asia.
Time to make outsourcing work for us!
ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
Don't get your hopes up. They'll use the same argument they used for workplace drug testing, i.e: If you don't like it, go work somewhere else.
If they can demand my urine and credit score, why not my heart rate?
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Maybe you should RTFA? They aren't aiming this at sports figures and deep sea divers. To quote:
Technology allowing constant monitoring of workers was previously limited to pilots, firefighters and Nasa astronauts. This is believed to be the first time a company has proposed developing such software for mainstream workplaces.
Another interesting quote:
The system could also "automatically detect frustration or stress in the user" and "offer and provide assistance accordingly".
Great! I can just see it now. Clippy pops up on my screen: "It looks like you are extremely frustrated with your current job? Would you like my assistance in composing your resume?"
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Because they threaten you into compliance by threatening your livelihood and not everybody has the option of switching jobs?
Hell, short of threats of physical violence, I'm hard pressed to think of a nastier thing to do to someone then threaten their livelihood.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.