JUST QUIT already if uncomfortable with whatever a given job entails should that include perceived invasive measures ie - surveillance.
For a lot of people, who have more expenses than savings and are not in highly demanded jobs, quitting puts them at great risk. They have a metaphorical gun to their heads. They might not die the moment they quit, but by quitting they are endangering themselves and those that depend on them. Their relationship with employment is inherently coercive.
This is especially true during a pandemic that's causing more people to be unemployed.
With all of that said: whose responsibility is it to avoid this type of situation? Is it anyone (or anything) but the individual them-self?
And should one unfortunately find themselves in this situation described above, whose responsibility is it to figure out a solution? Is it their friends and family who is responsible? Their neighbors? The government? Are you responsible?
It's probably not a risk for most of the HN users. Most of us are in high demand jobs, and we would simply refuse to work for a company that uses this kind of spyware. A lot of people don't have that option, because there isn't as much demand for their jobs.
Should we really be given that extra privilege simply because what we chose or wanted or had the ability to do is in higher demand? I would say no, it should be a fundamental right of workers in general. It's not as if there is some drastic harm that not installing spyware would impose. If your best means of measuring worker productivity is this junk, you're not going to last as a business anyways.
So you think you are privileged because you exercised your option to decide and do what's best for you? Or because you have the demonstrable ability to make it happen - ie - learn a thing that is in demand? Is it a privilege of the ability to act in your own self-interest?
Stepping back, maybe it's because you have acquired cognitive skills that others have not that you are privileged? The mere ability to think for yourself, that's a privilege too, then? What about changing your mind, increasing your understanding of, evolving a thought...all privileges, yeah?
Perhaps somewhere along the line you have made a decision that was hard and required risk and sacrifice but that contributed to who you are and where you are today, was that pain and suffering part of the privilege? What about losing someone or something you love, because surely it's a privilege to experience love in the first place, no?
Is anything that makes us different and unique from one-another not a privilege by extension? Has the word privilege been used and abused to the degree that it means absolutely nothing anymore?
What about being alive...is that like, the ultimate privilege? So when all are privileged, are any, really?
That's like saying "when everybody has money, does anyone have money?". People have varying amounts (and kinds) of privilege, but some have more than others.
But advisable, sure if you or anyone is not uncomfortable with what they are being subject to/asked to do as part of a job, YES, I would advise them to quit if deemed necessary.
Would you advise them to stay and subject themselves to they type of treatment they did not agree with?
Again, would you advise them to stay and subject themselves to they type of treatment they did not agree with?
But I will give you the benefit of the doubt. Vulnerable populations can have their employment opportunities gamed by powerful groups where they are essentially enslaved by their reliance on their paycheck to support their family, food, housing, etc. I don't understand why this doesn't register with you.
Employees have little bargaining power here. While quitting is hypothetically an option (albeit realistically not necessarily), so is shaming. And I see nothing wrong with shaming companies for their stupid, dehumanizing initiatives.
They hold all the power, actually, unless you are one who does not believe in the power of self-agency because perhaps you've already relinquished yours?
"While quitting is hypothetically an option (albeit realistically not necessarily), so is shaming. And I see nothing wrong with shaming companies for their stupid, dehumanizing initiatives."
Hey, me either, what kind of management culture even does this!?
It's hard for my response to be anything other than rolling my eyes. I'm a grad student. If my advisor demanded the ability to surveil me at all times, what would you expect me to do? Quit grad school, throwing away my last four years of work, because I have "self-agency"?
No, I'd complain to some higher power -- in my case, the graduate student association or the university.
Thanks for describing what you would do in the situation. It sounds like you are the type who would accept it given the option of quitting or continuing, is that fair to say based off an incomplete answer? There's no right or wrong, there's simply choice in the matter we all have that power to choose :)