Due to the use of new technologies, coupled with the fact that there is an increasing amount of work being done online, whether on the Internet, intranets, LANs or other networks, extensive employee monitoring by employers is inexpensive and easy. Employers have legitimate concerns about the efficiency of their employees and the quality of the goods or services produced, in relation to security. Additionally, monitoring can assist in employee health and safety, help reduce or eliminate sexual, racial and other forms of harassment, reveal areas in which training is required, and reduce the potential for crime, corruption, and other illegal activities. On the other hand, there is rising concern about the rights of employees, especially with respect to their rights to privacy, but also, for example, with respect to questions of justice and employee autonomy and dignity, to the legitimacy of some informed consent, to respect for employees as persons, and to trust. Clearly there are conflicting rights and interests. Ways need to be found to resolve these conflicts in a manner that is fair to all.

Electronic Monitoring in the Workplace: Controversies and Solutions contributes to the debate and will point the way toward solutions. Contributors come from a variety of disciplines, countries, and cultures, and so bring a wide range of perspectives to the issues.

About the Editor

John Weckert is Professorial Fellow at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (CAPPE), and Professor of Information Technology in the School of Information Studies, Charles Sturt University. He is manager of the CAPPE Research Programme IT and Nanotechnology: Ethics of Emergent Technology. His PhD is in Philosophy from the University of Melbourne and he has a Diploma in Computer Science from LaTrobe University. He has taught and published in the area of Information Technology for many years, and in recent times has published widely in the field of Computer Ethics.