Microsoft software would detect, score and report obnoxious workplace habits

Nod too much at work? Pause too much on the phone? Microsoft knows this, and MORE, and they plan on letting your employer know too. Microsoft has patented some VERY scary software for employee monitoring,

www.geekwire.com

An excerpt from the patent filing …


[In addition] to an email or voice conversation, other forms of interaction such as gestures, mannerisms, etc. in a video conference may also be analyzed and reported (e.g. nodding one’s head in agreement, shaking one’s head indicating disagreement, hand gestures, and similar ones). Additionally, patterns of communication may also be detected (in addition to distinct phrases or mannerisms).

For example, cutting off others during conversation, prolonged monologues, and comparable ones may be included in the category of behaviors to be discoura

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Digital Slavery, one step closer to a workplace near you, and this time Big Brother is pulling out all the stops. Big Brother is getting more and more savvy. Now it knows if you nod your head in agreement or disagreement too much.

This software seems pretty comprehensive. I can't see that they've left anything out, right down to if you pause to long while speaking on the phone.

I personally find this to be very scary indeed.

www.geekwire.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

That is creeeeeeeeepy. I wonder if employers would be required to tell their employees if they had this software.

reply to post by Anthropormorphic

This is actually not all that new but might well be microsoft's first foray into that part of the market, I don't follow it so much anymore but there was software around a good few years ago that could log certain statistics such as how much the mouse and keyboard are used, how long and how frequent the pauses in-between are etc. Its all perfectly within their legal right but it is taking things a bit far. Some productivity guru's idea of a sick joke maybe.

A supermarket either in Holland or Germany was caught filming and recording employee toilet visits and timing them. I think they got taken to court and forced to stop doing it but it was a year or two ago at least. Its not just computers is my point, but computers are an easy one to do it with.

It would be bad enough this information is collected and sent to the boss, 10X worse if it is sent to clandestine government agencies like the NSA.

The best security upgrade I ever made to my laptop was a piece of tape over the camera.

It would be cheaper and easier to buy robots and program them to behave the way you want than it would be to try to reprogram human beings. No salaries or benefits to worry about.

I just passed my Microsoft Certified Professional exam last week In now studying for Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist. I havent seen any mention of productivity monitoring software like this yet. But if there was something like this in 08 it might have been on Vista which i haven't studied on.

Looks like they have lots of new fun stuff coming our way soon lol

reply to post by LightSpeedDriver


Yep, I think I remember at least one software microsoft created, back in 08' that recorded employee data, but it wasn't nearly as comprehensive. I found this new software disturbing because it allows the employer to input so many variables, including behaviors and nuances. This software seems to bridge the gap between recording mouse movement and spying in the toilet...in one nice package.

reply to post by Anthropormorphic


MS Upskirt 2012 Enterprise Edition

This is typical PC type nonsense which leaves out one important determining factor to business models.

That factor which computers cannot control is inflation.

What they want to do is make people more like machines..more efficient across the board....predictable, controllable, malleable.

The problem no one wants to discuss is that at predicted rates of coming inflation...you cannot get effecient enough that inflation cannot eat up your profits....even if you employ all machines.

That is what is coming and what no one wants to speak about.

To survive what is coming ...business must get more efficient and search out any way to become efficient. Hence they want people with less thinking and more robotic response/programming..less individuality...more machine like. Hearded cattle. The problem is that people are not more machine like...and most have no desire to become so.

Still...with inflation...predicted to come..you can only get so effecient before effeciency can no longer keep up with inflation. When that point arrives..business/jobs come to a stop or you will take a loss if you do not. All business.

Thanks,
Orangetom

This would be excellent for call centers. The workplace has become a common dumping ground in many places for the likes of things like social networking and games. People seem to think that their leisurely activities should be welcome and embraced by all employers. There are other ways of dealing with those threats I realize, but so far as call centers are concerned this would be beneficial.

brill

I have heard that some big companies have a voice stress analyzer set up in there interview rooms to see if want to be employees are lying during there job interviews.

www.chp.ca.gov...
www.officialliarcard.com...

Originally posted by ANNED
I have heard that some big companies have a voice stress analyzer set up in there interview rooms to see if want to be employees are lying during there job interviews.

www.chp.ca.gov...
www.officialliarcard.com...

From a recent ATS thread, I think the majority are more concerned if Facebook is available.
2nd

brill

As long as it can't detect who farted, I'm not worried. Although if it could detect the potency of my farts, that could still be interesting. Set off some flashing red lights and evacuate the building.

I think people should be a lot more upset over software like this than they currently are. It seems to me that a lot of people are apathetic to it, and it's going to end up biting us all in the arse collectively.

One of my peeves, with regards to "spyware" comes by way of our cars and insurance. I am not a fan of OnStar. People were able to cope long before OnStar was invented, and frankly I am happy to take on the risks of not having OnStar.

OnStar is old news though, my latest WTF, comes in the form of insurance company tactics and the people who fall for it. It astounds me that some people are willing to put a data collection device and camera in their cars, for the sake of a small discount on their auto insurance. The offering of these data devices and cameras began small, but now companies such as Progressive have even started including it in their tv and print commercials. My worry is that if enough people "don't mind" and put these devices in their cars, it will place insurance companies in the drivers seat to move on making these REQUIRED if you want coverage, or pay a premium for driving without it. JUST SAY NO.

I could go on and on about "spyware" on cars..as it takes many forms these days...and also the issue of cars who "drive for us"...but I'll save that for another topic/discussion.

Is this even legal? I know by using company systems that you consent to monitoring, but this seems a bit much. I also can easily see a lot of mistakes since there are aspects to human behavior that technology can't interpret properly (yet!)

This is only for video conferences though, right? You shouldn't be messing around during those anyway, there are seven other hours in the day to do that stuff.

Now if it was installed on webcam-style monitoring systems attached to each monitor, then I'd disagree, but as it stands now, if you're nodding off during your meeting with the boss over the phone, I think a little note inside a program is much more easy-going than what would happen in the days of yore, before this. Nod off in an in-person meeting and you'll be getting a hell of a lot more time to sleep at home, that's for sure.

reply to post by MRedfield


Actually I think it's not "nodding off" ie, falling asleep while working, but rather, it's gathering biometric data, are you nodding yes or no, or scowling, or wearing a dark shirt instead of a light one, or frowning, etc. The employer can load a laundry list of things into the system that it wants the system to "watch" for. Do you smile enough? Do you frown too much? Do you smile too much!? Do you cut people off when they're speaking? Do you raise your voice or speak too softly? Do you lower your head too much when talking to someone? Those sorts of things.

Originally posted by Anthropormorphic
I think people should be a lot more upset over software like this than they currently are.

This is not software, it's just a patent, it doesn't mean that something like this exists or will ever exist. Many patents are registered just to avoid someone appearing some time latter with a similar idea, even if it's useless.

And I don't think this would be accepted in most EU countries, where privacy (even at work) is taken more seriously.

Originally posted by ArMaP

Originally posted by Anthropormorphic
I think people should be a lot more upset over software like this than they currently are.

This is not software, it's just a patent, it doesn't mean that something like this exists or will ever exist. Many patents are registered just to avoid someone appearing some time latter with a similar idea, even if it's useless.

And I don't think this would be accepted in most EU countries, where privacy (even at work) is taken more seriously.