Big Brother Boss Turns Eye on Home Workers

Think working out of a home office means wearing your jammies and watching YouTube? Not unless you want the boss to see what you watch in your Mickey Mouse PJs. As telecommuting rises, employers are tracking their workers by taking screen snapshots, recording keystrokes, and even taking pictures of workers via built-in cameras, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Critics call the practice intrusive and “Big Brotherism,” while employers see it as good management. Many workers, meanwhile, simply see it as a tradeoff for being able to avoid the expense and hassle of commuting. Whatever the opinion, it may actually serve to accelerate the work-at-home movement as employers feel satisfied knowing how much work is getting done. (More business stories.)