'Something out of a dystopian novel’: Evil company surreptitiously takes photos of employees throughout their work day

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Feb 8, 2024 1:00 PM EST

Not to sound like I have a tinfoil hat on, but the surveillance state is real. Whether we know it or not, we're being watched and/or listened to by people (or entities) that aren't our friends. How do you think the ads got so weirdly specific and good? How do they know I wanted that Princess Diana-inspired sweater? It's hard to get away from unless you go completely off the grid. 

But the regular workaday spying the world does on us is one thing (not a good thing, but one thing.) Being specifically spied on by your employer, that's quite another. In the age of webcams, hidden cameras, and online channels of communication, it gets harder and harder to have privacy at work. This recent story from the antiwork subreddit is a particularly flagrant example of workplace surveillance, loud and clear. Read it and start getting a little paranoid. 

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  • 01
    r/antiwork u/LFC4-0BAR • 4d Your yearly reminder that my former company made us use a program that took WebCam photos of us throughout the day while working
    via u/LFC4-0BAR
  • 02
    Apps Essentials (Stupid App's Name,ference G... mpany Company Name ame My Name Dashboard Edit Time Screenshots Reports Payments Help Company Name [Internal] Ad x Company timedoctor.com/#/screenshots Name Feedback Earn $50 (Stupid App's Name,ference G... Tools My Name mplates By 1.24.22 EDIT/R... By 1.24.22 GENER... UPERCT All Y 2021-05-12 5:45:03 pm Project N/A Task: QBOTTIN/A Client Copy x Other To-Do x My Name xpy x M Inbox (265) x ST List Pages X ST List Pages X Company Nam 0 WC 2021-05-12 4:
    via u/LFC4-0BAR
  • 03
    Away_Location • 4d This is exactly why I immediately put tape over my webcam at every new job. And people act like I'm paranoid.
    via u/Away_Location
  • 04
    cero1399 4d I am very happy that my work laptop has a built-in cover for the cam that you can move over. Don't think my company does some spying, but better be sure. Also helps when you don't realise the incoming call is a video call and you are not in a favourable view at the moment.
    via u/cero1399
  • 05
    tzwep. 4d Some young kids who have take home laptops, say this also occurs.
    via u/tzwep
  • 06
    stitch-is-dope • 4d Should be illegal
    via u/stitch-is-dope
  • 07
    nw342 • 4d Communist It is! Nobody cares unfortunately. There have been a few cases where schools remotely access webcams or do like this with auto pics, and get pics of young female students changing.
    via u/nw342
  • 08
    Vegabern. 4d I operate off monitors and close my laptop.
    via u/Vegabern
  • 09
    convoce 4d ● something out of a dystopian novel
    via u/convoce
  • 10
    Little_BallOfAnxiety. 4d If you think this is fun, then try being a trucker. Most big companies have driver facing cams that watch everything you do. A popular brand is Lytx, which allows your company to watch you without your knowledge (the light doesn't change colors or anything) they also record audio. I worked for a company with these before, and when talking to my dispatch, they would give hints that they've been listening to me talk on the phone. For example. I'm on the phone with my frien
    via u/Little_BallOfAnxiety
  • 11
    Poochus Maximus • 4d Who the writes these programs and then releases them like it's a good idea. that guy.
    via u/PoochusMaximus
  • 12
    optimisticfury • 4d They'd be getting some neat photographs of me polishing my resume and applying to other companies AA
    via u/optimisticfury
  • 13
    Dawn-Dreamer-999 • 4d Lawsuit now?
    via u/Dawn-Dreamer-999
  • 14
    LawlessCoffeh. 4d Just take a video the length of your shift and have it feed that in like a camera
    via u/LawlessCoffeh
  • 15
    BigGray Beast • 4d I'm waiting for manufacturers to offer laptops with hidden, second webcams.
    via u/BigGrayBeast
  • 16
    The Greates_Username 4d Thanks I hate the remote panopticon ●
    via u/The_Greates_Username
  • 17
    cornerdweler • 4d Do commenters here really think they could put tape over there camera, and they would never hear anything about it, problem solved! I'm sure there would be a disciplinary meeting booked with HR immediately "please contact your union rep if you would like them to join the meeting with us" as soon as they see this. (They would book the meeting immediately, but the actual meeting date will be in like 2 weeks to make you stress and sweat over it)
    via u/cornerdweler
  • 18
    MrCertainly 4d ● ...lol, union rep. Literally 90% of the country works without a union. 99.7% of the country is at-will.
    via u/MrCertainly

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Tags

antiwork workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace work reddit story toxic-boss nightmare fuel workplace subreddit reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
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