Dr. Adam Molnar, a surveillance and security researcher in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies, and PhD candidate Danielle Thompson are gaining attention for their research into Employee Monitoring Applications (EMAs). Their work, which examines privacy concerns, trust erosion, and workplace productivity, has become a topic of conversation among both academics and the general public. The news media have been eager to cover Dr. Molnar and Thompson's work, recognizing the prevalence of EMAs and the angst they produce among employees.
"Workers now must be concerned about the collection of any and all activities that occur on their devices," Thompson writes, "and the use of this information to make decisions about their productivity, performance and risk to company security." As more employees continue to work from home post-pandemic, researchers have begun to question how privacy and productivity converge on company devices and within employees' homes.
Their work continues to capture attention and spark conversation about the intersection of privacy, EMAs, and surveillance in the workplace.
Used EMAs before the Covid-19 pandemic
Use EMAs post-pandemic