Bob Greene writes: Is Big Brother coming to your job?

[Rochester]

How much do you hate it when some meddling boss is leaning way-too-close over your shoulder, micro-checking and second-guessing every bit of work you do?

Well, if you think you hate it now, get ready.

Because, as annoying as it can seem today, every indication is that, as far as the stress of bosses hovering over your shoulder goes, these may soon be regarded as the good old days.

...

Rest of article here: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/28/opinion/greene-big-brother/index.html

[brewens]

1. We now have a "rat box" in all of our blood center vihicles. It will register a

voilation for speeding, hard braking and accelleration. I think a few other things too. I the company is called Inthink. So far I actually don't mind it much. If you're speeding it gives you a warning and you have 15 seconds to slow down before it will actually give you a violation. That would have saved me getting a ticket last November.

[Brigid]

2. I am very uncomfortable with this,

To put it mildly. We have a whole generation of kids growing up who don't know what it's like not to be under constant surveillance. George Orwell didn't know how right he was.

[Delmette]

3. I can't remember where I read

That ebooks, Nook and Kindle, track if you finished a book, how long it takes you to read the book, right down to the page where you leave off. I thought that once i downloaded the book it was my property. I guess I was wrong on that point. If I'm wrong, I hope someone corrects me. It seems like ebooks are just practice to prove to corporations that this stuff can be done.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. They're going to put cameras & microphones in your TV set, to monitor your "preferences."

Expect THAT within 2 years.

The Terr'ists Won

[Delmette]

5. I can't remember where I read

That ebooks, Nook and Kindle, track if you finished a book, how long it takes you to read the book, right down to the page where you leave off. I thought that once i downloaded the book it was my property. I guess I was wrong on that point. If I'm wrong, I hope someone corrects me. It seems like ebooks are just practice to prove to corporations that this stuff can be done.

[Paranoid Pessimist]

6. Big Brother has been in the workplace supporting. . .

. . . management for years, but it is worsening, as is everything. It has all getting far worse than anything envisioned in George Orwell.

The book to read about this in detail is The Soft Cage by Christian Parenti.

[LiberalEsto]

7. This stuff has been going on for a long time

Back in my newspaper reporting days, which ended in 1997, editors could look at what you were typing on your computer screen, and make immediate changes. If they didn't like the angle you were taking with a story, they'd tell you to do it differently, meaning their way. Every last word was micromanaged. And this was a small newspaper.

I sat close to the glass cubicle where the managing editor lurked, and he could see my screen. One day he yelled at me because he didn't like what I had up on the screen -- I was doing some background research. I'm glad I got out of there.