Evaluating the Permissions of Monitoring Mobile Applications for Remote Employees: Analysing the Impact on Employer Trust and Employee Privacy Concerns

Polra Victor Falade¹ , Patience Ocheche Momoh²

Section:Research Paper, Product Type: Journal-Paper
Vol.12 , Issue.1 , pp.42-52, Feb-2024

Online published on Feb 28, 2024

Copyright © Polra Victor Falade, Patience Ocheche Momoh . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
 

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Abstract :
Amid the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an extraordinary surge in remote work, bringing attention to its lasting effects on the modern workforce. This significant change has led organizations to adopt remote work as a permanent element, requiring them to develop flexible and robust work approaches. Amidst the exponential growth of remote work, the use of monitoring apps to oversee employee tasks has become more common. However, the widespread adoption of these apps has raised significant concerns about the privacy of data and the rights of employees. This study focuses on examining the privacy problems associated with monitoring mobile apps designed for remote workers. We looked at 12 such apps. To evaluate the privacy concerns associated with mobile applications used for monitoring remote employees, we employed a vulnerability assessment tool. Surprisingly, all 12 apps lacked privacy policies, and also all had permissions that could potentially violate employees` privacy by revealing sensitive information about them. This research provides important insights into the areas of data privacy, employee monitoring, and remote work practices. It offers guidance to app developers and organizations on how to strike a balance between monitoring productivity and protecting employee privacy rights. By addressing the issues raised in this study, stakeholders can create a safe and supportive environment for remote workers while still respecting their privacy and building trust.

Key-Words / Index Term :
Employee monitoring, mobile applications, remote work, privacy issues, trust

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